Flood exceeds level 3 alert, Hai Duong strictly protects every meter of dike

Thanh Quang Commune (Nam Sach) has more than 2.2 km of right dike on Kinh Thay River with 2 dike guard posts and 2 large sluices across the dike. Since the river water reached alert level I on September 9, the locality has assigned forces to guard and look after the dike. On the morning of September 11, the flood reached alert level III, immediately 150 people from the commune's emergency team on duty to protect the dike were mobilized, ready to inspect and protect the dike at the highest level. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thao, Party Secretary and Chairman of Thanh Quang Commune People's Committee, said that in addition to the 24/7 duty force at the dike, all cadres, civil servants and workers of the commune were assigned to patrol, supervise and actively support the dike guards.

Mr. Tran Dinh Che in Tong Pho village, Thanh Quang commune (Nam Sach) was assigned to directly manage the activities at the Ha Lieu dike watchtower. Mr. Che said that with alert level III, there are 6 people on duty during the day and up to 12 people at night. The on-duty force is divided into 4 shifts, taking turns patrolling continuously, when one shift returns, the next sets off. Everyone meticulously checks every meter of the dike to find the extrusion and bubbling veins. "The on-duty brothers tell each other not to be subjective or negligent, always be vigilant, detect incidents to handle them promptly," Mr. Che said firmly.

The force on duty on the dikes in Hai Duong is not only men, but women are also enthusiastic and volunteer to take on the task. Ms. Nguyen Thi Toan in Cap Thuong 2 village, Tien Tien commune (Hai Duong city) has participated in guarding the dike on the left of Thai Binh river in the area for 5 days. According to Ms. Toan, since she was a young woman, every time there was a big flood, she signed up to guard the dike. Now that she is middle-aged, she is still willing to do this job, contributing to protecting the safety of the locality during the flood season. Ms. Toan said: "In Tien Tien commune, the number of women on duty on the dike accounts for more than half of the staff. The People's Committee of the commune also arranges for women to guard the day shift to ensure their health, but there are still many women, uncles and aunts who are ready to guard at night when mobilized."

The patrol and dyke guard force plays a very important role in ensuring safety during the rainy and stormy season. They are the first to detect dike incidents and handle them from the first hour, avoiding unfortunate consequences. In recent days, all dike incidents that have occurred in the province have been detected and reported by this force. Because they were detected early and handled quickly, the province's dike system is relatively stable and safe.

Mr. Nguyen Van Hai in Tien Tien commune was the first person to discover the dangerous leak on the left bank of the Thai Binh River on the evening of September 11. He immediately informed the commune People's Committee to mobilize forces and materials to handle the situation. After only 1.5 hours, the problem was fixed. Mr. Hai said: "In addition to the forces of the commune and city, hundreds of people also rolled up their sleeves to help pack sandbags and drive bamboo stakes. Everyone made efforts to handle the problem as quickly as possible. During the flood and storm season, safety is paramount."

Hai Duong has more than 370 km of dikes with 267 dike guard posts. Since the river water level reached alert level I, 235 disaster prevention and control teams with more than 28,000 members from localities in the province have been activated, ready for dike protection tasks. When the flood reaches alert level III, patrol and guard forces are mobilized to the maximum, working day and night, being highly vigilant every minute and every second with the goal of ensuring the safety of the dikes. Thanks to the patrol and guard forces, by the evening of September 12, the whole province had promptly handled 92 dike incidents, ensuring the safety of the dike system against major floods.

At 5:00 a.m. on September 13, the water level of the Thai Binh River was 6.1 m, 0.1 m higher than the level III alarm, the highest in the past 28 years. The water level of the Thai Binh River is forecast to decrease slowly, remaining above the level III alarm on September 13.

On the evening of September 12, following the direction of the Chairman of the Hai Duong Provincial People's Committee, Le Ngoc Chau, localities increased patrolling, guarding, and protecting the entire route 24/7. People were assigned to monitor the developments at key dyke points and incidents that had been handled or were being fixed to promptly inform and handle them from the first hour according to the "4 on-site" motto. Everyone made efforts and was determined to protect the safety of the dyke from floods.