500 residents of storm-hit Quang Nam cross jungle to access relief aid

By Dac Thanh   November 3, 2020 | 06:27 am PT
Around 500 residents in central Quang Nam's Phuoc Son District, isolated due to the impacts of Storm Molave, trekked 15 km through the forest to collect rice and other essentials.
On Monday morrning, relief goods including rice, instant noodles, fish sauce and clothes supported by local authorities and chairty organizations are gathered at a suspension bridge in Phuoc Kim Commune. The relief goods are reserved for residents in Phuoc Thanh Commune in Phuoc Son District where many families are being isolated due to the floods triggered by Storm Molave, However, because roads leading to Phuoc Thanh Commune are seriously eroded, affected families have to walk over 15 kilometers through dến forest to carry relief goods home.

On Monday morning, donations of rice, instant noodles, fish sauce and clothing are distributed beside a suspension bridge in Phuoc Kim Commune to flood-hit residents of Phuoc Thanh Commune in Phuoc Son District, isolated in the wake of Storm Molave.
Because of severe road erosion in the area, however, recipient families were forced to trek over 15 km through dense forests to retrieve the much needed supplies.

Soldiers carry bags of rice to the gathering point. Quang Nam is one of the hit hardest localities by Storm Molave which left at least 36 people dead as of Tuesday morning, 26 of them killed following multiple landslides in mountainous districts.

Soldiers deliver bags of rice to the gathering point.
Quang Nam is one of the hardest hit localities by Storm Molave that left at least 36 people dead as of Tuesday morning, 26 of them killed following multiple landslides across mountainous districts.

=Ho Thi Van, a resident of Phuoc Thanh Commune, enlisted to get more clothes for her three children. My house was swept away by flash floods, so there is nothing left, she said.

Ho Thi Van, a resident of Phuoc Thanh Commune, enlisted to get more clothes for her three children. "My house was swept away by flash floods, so there is nothing left," she lamented.

From Phuoc Kim to Phuoc Thanh Commune, each has to walk for 15 kilometers via forest paths. Healthy people are able to carry 60 kg while weak people carry 25 kg.

From Phuoc Kim to Phuoc Thanh Commune, recipients had to walk 15 km via forest paths, the healthy shouldering about 60 kg and the frail, 25 kg.

They have to cross a mountain slope nearly 1 km long along the forest road to go home. Each trip to pick up the relief goods takes about four hours.

A daunting, one kilometer mountain slope has to be conquered on the way home. Each trip to collect relief aid takes about four hours.

A woman carrying 40kg of rice goes through a steep slope. Due to slippery road, she has to bend over with her arms down.

A woman carrying 40 kg of rice has to bend double to traverse the slippery terrain.

Ho Thi Nhon with 40kg of rice and some clothes on her shoulder takes a rest amid the forest.Yesterday (Sunday), I also took a walk to carry relief goods home and today I continued. Since October 28, heavy rains and floods damaged rice reserved in my house, Nho said.

Ho Thi Nhon with 40 kg of rice and some clothes on her shoulders takes a rest amid the forest cover.
"Yesterday (Sunday), I also collected some relief aid, the same as today. Since October 28, heavy rains and floods destroyed my rice reserves," Nho said.

A man follows a small path through the forest with steep slopes. To go up the slope, people always have to bend down so that a bag of rice lies on their back to balance, while standing upright, they will be pulled back and unable to move, local man Ho Van Tu said.

A man laden down with donations ascends a narrow path. "To go up the slope, you have to balance the bag of rice just right, else you would fall backwards," local Ho Van Tu explained.

Ho Van Khanh, 14, carries 25 kg of rice on his shoulder. Khanh is the first child in a family of four. His father carried a 50 kg trip Sunday. On Monday morning Khanh followed his father to carry bags of rice homeStorm Goni is coming near and the road may erode again, so I try to carry more rice home, Khanh said.

Ho Van Khanh, 14, carries 25 kg of rice on his shoulders. Khanh is the first child in a family of four. His father carried 50 kg home on Sunday, prompting him to follow suit on Monday morning.
"Storm Goni is drawing near and the road may erode further, so I try to carry more rice home," Khanh stated.

Residents have to struggle to go through slippery roads covered with rock and soil caused by previous multiple landslides. In Quang Nam, 21 people are still listed missing, mostly victims during the deadly landslides.

Residents have to struggle over scattered storm debris. In Quang Nam, 19 people are still listed missing, mostly victims of multiple deadly landslides.

Phuoc Thanh Commune is home to 1,900 families of Gie Trieng ehtnic minorities, around 50 kilometers from the districts town.Storm Molae made landfall over central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai on October 28, causing 44 houses in the poverty-stricken district to be swept away and 42 others buried.Storm Molave inflicted economic damage worth around VND10 trillion ($430.16 million), according to statistics from affected provinces, including Quang Nam.

Phuoc Thanh Commune is home to 1,900 Gie Trieng ethnic minority families, and around 50 km from the district town.
Storm Molave made landfall over central Quang Nam and Quang Ngai Provinces on October 28, causing 44 houses in the poverty-stricken district to be swept away while burying 42 others.
The storm inflicted economic damage worth around VND10 trillion ($430.16 million), according to statistics from affected provinces, including Quang Nam.

 
 
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