The couple also stocked 100 liters of fuel for their generator, along with instant noodles, drinking water, and snacks, ready to receive people. Nguyen’s phone rang constantly. Within hours, all 40 rooms were full, sheltering about 123 people, not including those who came just to bathe or charge their devices.

Throughout the afternoon, Nguyen, her husband, and one staff member worked tirelessly to organize and assist over 100 individuals. During dinner, they took turns eating before continuing to boil water for people to cook noodles, prepare milk for children, and arrange extra sleeping spaces for latecomers.

"We keep our doors open day and night. If it gets too crowded, people share rooms, as long as we can welcome everyone who needs it most," Nguyen said.

Bui Thanh Hieu, 18, arrived at the hotel on the afternoon of 7/10. Her rental room in Phan Dinh Phung ward had been submerged since 4 a.m. By noon, the water was nearly one meter deep. The student from Hoa Binh, along with six friends from her boarding house, could no longer stay and decided to wade through the water to Nguyen’s family hotel.

Bui Thanh Hieu (in white shirt) and a group of six friends found shelter at Thao Nguyen’s guesthouse in Quyet Thang ward on the evening of 7/10. Photo: Thao Nguyen

About 10 km from Thai Nguyen city, Nguyen Hang, 31, posted an offer to provide free parking for cars and motorbikes belonging to those in flooded areas. "My yard can hold nearly 100 cars and many motorbikes. Everyone is welcome to bring their vehicles until the water recedes," she wrote on social media.

Additionally, her family prepared three bedrooms for 20-30 people, prioritizing the elderly and young children. Hang continuously posted messages in community groups so those in need could contact her. "In this difficult time, I will help anyone I can to the best of my ability," Hang shared.

On social media groups, residents actively shared rescue phone numbers and addresses offering free accommodation and food assistance.

On the night of 7/10, the phone of Tran Thi Thai, 48, head of a charity club near Gang Thep stadium, rang incessantly. In chat groups, messages constantly updated the number of kitchens, pots, and places urgently needing meals. "We mobilized everything overnight to start working first thing in the morning," Thai said.

After typhoon Yagi last year, her group cooked over 23,000 meals and distributed 30,000 gifts, including dried food, water, and life jackets. On peak days, their kitchen prepared 6,000 meals to supply residents in isolated areas. "Having learned from experience, as soon as we hear about floods, we decide to start cooking immediately," Thai said.

Within two hours, group members contributed tens of millions of dong, along with rice, fish sauce, and cooking oil. For 8/10, Thai planned to cook 1,000 meals, with 600 already designated for Linh Son and Phu Binh wards and other heavily flooded areas.

Tran Thi Thai’s charity group prepared thousands of food portions to send to flood-affected residents in Thai Nguyen during typhoon Yagi in 9/2024. Photo: Provided by interviewee

Trieu Van Bo, 33, from Phu Xuyen commune (formerly Dai Tu district), posted on his personal page offering "zero-dong transport" to deliver relief supplies to flood zones. Based on previous years’ experience, Bo believes that bottled water and sealed puffed rice are the most important items at this time because they last longer. "Cooked rice or sweets only last one day and spoil easily," he said. Last year, his group operated continuously for one week, transporting goods not only in Thai Nguyen but also to Tuyen Quang.

From a professional perspective, Ngo Anh Tuan, founder of GiveNow, an online crowdfunding platform, noted that immediately after a disaster, people are exhausted from hunger, cold, and thirst, and urgently need essentials for survival. In the initial phase, ready-to-eat foods like banh chung (sticky rice cakes), bread, cooked rice, boiled eggs, dried provisions, clean water, and canned goods are prioritized. Items with short shelf lives should be directed to easily accessible areas, hospitals, and volunteer or militia centers. Long-shelf-life items such as instant noodles and rice will be important food sources after floods.

As for equipment like medical supplies, life jackets, clothing, and school supplies, depending on the local situation, these can be delivered directly to residents, volunteers, militia, or left at collection points. "Aid should only be carried out when search and rescue efforts have controlled the situation," Tuan said.

Officials assisting residents in Quang Vinh ward, Thai Nguyen on 7/10. Photo: Thai Nguyen News

Due to the influence of a typhoon remnant and upper-level wind convergence, Thai Nguyen experienced heavy rainfall from the evening of 6/10 to the afternoon of 7/10. Many areas received 400-500 mm of rain, causing deep flooding of 1-2 m in Thai Nguyen city and surrounding communes. On the morning of 7/10, the Provincial People's Committee issued an urgent directive, ordering the evacuation of residents from dangerous areas. The Provincial Police also mobilized hundreds of officers, soldiers, and specialized vehicles to assist residents.

Dam Quang Tuyen, Deputy Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Fatherland Front Committee, stated that by the evening of 7/10, many areas remained completely isolated and inaccessible. Provincial forces were fully engaged in rescue and assistance efforts. "We hope for solidarity from people both within and outside the province. Thai Nguyen has not endured such a severe natural disaster in hundreds of years," Tuyen said.

According to preliminary statistics from Thai Nguyen, as of the end of 7/10, the floods caused three deaths, three missing persons, and several injuries. Many areas were cut off and isolated, complicating access and rescue operations.

Quynh Duong