"The floodwaters rose very quickly, both in front of and behind the bus. In just an hour, the water level increased by 2-3 meters, 5-6 meters higher than usual," driver Nguyen Van Kien recounted.

Kien, who had departed from Vinh City at 10 a.m. on 22/7 with 25 passengers bound for Muong Xen town, found his bus trapped at 4 p.m. due to a landslide. The rising waters of the Nam Mo river blocked any possibility of turning back.

The Trung Kien sleeper bus trapped on National Highway 7A near Huu Kiem commune, on the night of 22/7. Photo: Courtesy of the interviewee

Facing a dire situation, Kien steered the bus as close to the mountainside as possible, seeking the highest ground to avoid being submerged, and called for help. However, the area had weak cell phone reception, making communication nearly impossible.

With over 10 years of experience driving this route, including being stranded by floods in 2011 and 2019, Kien reassured the passengers. After 5 p.m., seven passengers decided to walk along the mountainside. 18 passengers remained on the bus, along with the driver and his assistant. They took turns searching for a spot with cell service to call for help and shared food and drinks.

Kien stayed awake all night, constantly checking the rising water levels. At one point, the floodwaters nearly reached the bus's undercarriage, causing everyone's hearts to skip a beat. "I couldn't close my eyes, knowing the lives of nearly 20 people depended on me," the 42-year-old driver said.

By dawn on 23/7, the river had receded about 40-50 cm. Around 7 a.m., rescue forces from Huu Kiem commune reached the stranded bus. With National Highway 7A deeply flooded, the rescuers guided the 19 people through the forest to safety.

Kien remained with the bus, stating he would abandon it if the water continued to rise to ensure his own safety.

The scene ahead on National Highway 7A that prevented driver Nguyen Van Kien from moving. Image taken from video

A representative from the Huu Kiem commune police department stated that they received the alert the previous night but couldn't respond immediately due to numerous road closures and challenging terrain. At dawn, the commune police chief and 5-6 officers reached the stranded bus.

"We also couldn't contact the rescue team. However, preliminary information indicates that all passengers and the driver are safe," the representative said.

Nguyen Dinh Bien, a relative of two passengers trapped on the bus, explained that his mother and sister had traveled from Muong Xen to Con Cuong town, about 100 km from their home, for a medical check-up. They became stranded on their return journey due to the flood and landslide. Bien contacted local authorities to report the situation.

"This morning, I managed to contact them and learned they spent the night on the bus and were guided through the mountains by officials this morning," he said.

According to a rapid assessment report from Nghe An province, as of the evening of 22/7, the floods resulted in one person missing and nearly 210 houses damaged or submerged. Agricultural damage is estimated to affect over 1,000 hectares of rice and crops. Regarding infrastructure, numerous roads experienced landslides, two pedestrian bridges were swept away, and 30 electricity poles collapsed, causing widespread traffic and power disruptions.

Video: Bus in Nghe An with 25 passengers stranded amidst landslide and floodwaters.

Quynh Duong