Vietnamese people rise from disaster

Mr. Phan Tan Phat, founder of the Car Booking Travel Company in Taiwan, said that after the earthquake that occurred in Taiwan (China) last year, the Vietnamese community in this area quickly stabilized and recovered.

As the administrator of the "Taiwanese Entertainment" group on Facebook, at that time, Mr. Phat continuously issued warnings and updated information quickly about the earthquake area, to help the Vietnamese community feel secure and take preventive measures.

Hualien was the most severely affected area in the earthquake, with many houses collapsing and forcing residents to evacuate.

He said that although the earthquake was quite strong, fortunately the damage was insignificant and there were no casualties. Notably, no one in the Vietnamese community was injured by the earthquake and the material losses were also insignificant.

However, the psychological fear of aftershocks still affected some people in the early days. But with optimism and high adaptability, the majority of Vietnamese people quickly returned to normal life.

On the eve of Lunar New Year, the atmosphere in areas with a large Vietnamese population has become much more bustling.

Supermarkets and traditional markets selling typical Vietnamese Tet products welcome a large number of customers. From banh chung, gio cha to Tet jams, all are sought after by Vietnamese people to welcome the new year according to their homeland's customs.

Meanwhile, in Türkiye, one year after the devastating earthquake in February 2023, the Vietnamese community here is gradually recovering.

According to Mr. Duong Nam Phuong, who has lived in Istanbul for 16 years and is one of the three administrators of the Vietnamese Community in Türkiye Facebook page, Vietnamese people directly affected in the epicenter have received significant support from the Turkish government in terms of accommodation and home reconstruction.

At the time of the earthquake, Mr. Phuong called on the community in the Vietnamese Community in Türkiye group to organize relief activities, mobilizing acquaintances and benefactors to contribute.

Notably, the local government has implemented a new resettlement program to improve earthquake resilience for residential areas.

Many Vietnamese families living in old apartment buildings have actively participated in this program. They agreed to demolish their old houses to rebuild more solid structures, ensuring safety against the risk of earthquakes in the future.

Mr. Phuong said that his house has just been demolished to prepare for rebuilding according to new standards. With support from the Turkish government and a spirit of solidarity, the Vietnamese community in Türkiye is looking forward to a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Mr. Phuong added on January 25 that a large Tet celebration was held in Istanbul, creating an opportunity for people to reunite, share memories of the old year and together preserve Vietnamese cultural identity in a foreign land.

Phuong’s family, along with several other families, also celebrated New Year’s Eve in Istanbul. These activities not only brought the atmosphere of Tet in their homeland to a foreign land but also strengthened solidarity within the Vietnamese community in Türkiye.