Tay Nha Trang Ward in tourist city Nha Trang of Khanh Hoa remains one of the deepest flooded areas in the province's center. Rescue forces entered every alley and home to evacuate the elderly and young children to safety on Thursday afternoon.
Authorities advise residents still awaiting rescue to move to higher, safer ground, avoid fast-flowing water, and secure themselves with ropes to prevent being swept away.
To escape the flooding, some residents maneuvered around utility poles using styrofoam boxes or homemade floats. The area has been paralyzed by the heavy rain and rising water, resulting in a power outage since Tuesday.
A group of foreign volunteers used inflatable floats to assist Nha Trang residents on Thursday morning. They joined police and military forces in evacuating locals to safe areas.
Many residents, having been safely evacuated, waited anxiously for the rest of their families. Meanwhile, officials erected barricades to maintain order and prevent disruptions to rescue operations, while others stood by with food supplies.
Soldiers hand out instant noodles, snacks, and bottled water from their trucks to basket boats and canoes to reach flooded households.
Nguyen Quoc Tan, chairman of Quy Nhon Bac Ward, said this deeply flooded area is completely cut off, lacking electricity, clean water, and phone service, making relief essential. “We are working urgently to stabilize residents’ lives,” Tan said.
Police officers, wearing life jackets, distributed relief supplies by loading packs of instant noodles onto floating buoys and pulling them with ropes directly into flooded areas to reach every household.
Facing deep floodwaters and difficulties reaching rescue teams, some families in coastal areas used basket boats to paddle out and collect food supplies on their own.
Hoang, one resident who rowed out with his wife, explained: "The water was nearly to the roof last night, and although it's halfway down today, we decided to paddle out to get supplies because we were afraid waiting too long would be risky."
