Heavy rainfall on 26/8 flooded the lobby and first-floor elevator of the Ecohome 1 apartment complex in Dong Ngac ward, stranding residents. After nearly 10 hours without power, with floodwaters exceeding one meter outside the complex, resident Bui Mai, 52, reached out to neighboring buildings for assistance in providing food and essential supplies.

"I was worried about the elderly and children trapped inside, unsure when the water would recede or the power would return. I wanted to ensure they had enough to eat and drink," Mai said.

Residents of Ecohome 1 gather in the lobby to receive food and supplies on the evening of 26/8. Photo: Bui Mai

Residents of Ecohome 1 gather in the lobby to receive food and supplies on the evening of 26/8. Photo: Bui Mai

Upon seeing Mai's message, Dong Thi Tam, 37, the women's leader at the Goldentime Ecohome 3 complex, located over 2 km away, immediately left work to rally her community. Her call for help, "Free porridge at the Ecohome 1 lobby. Every little bit helps," was met with an enthusiastic response from dozens of volunteers.

"Even though we live in different buildings, we're always ready to help each other in times of need," Tam said.

By 7 p.m., Tam and her team had transported nearly 20 pots of porridge to Ecohome 1, wading through almost a kilometer of floodwater to reach the lobby. They prioritized distributing food to children and the elderly.

News of their efforts spread quickly through the community. By 8 p.m., hundreds of people from neighboring buildings had volunteered to assist, providing additional supplies like hot water for infant formula, bread, drinking water, flashlights, inflatable boats, and trucks for transportation.

"We were able to secure dozens of thermoses of hot water for families with babies, as well as bread, water, flashlights, inflatable boats, and trucks," Mai explained.

Residents of Goldentime Ecohome 3 deliver porridge, hot water, and flashlights to Ecohome 1.

Dao Thi Ngan, 32, a resident of Ecohome 1, expressed her gratitude upon receiving two bowls of hot porridge for her children. With the power outage and the ground-floor supermarket inaccessible due to flooding, she had been worried about feeding her two young children.

"Everything was dark, our routine was disrupted, and my children were hungry and crying. The porridge was a lifesaver," Ngan shared.

Many other residents came down to receive porridge, bread, and water, offering their help in return. The volunteers ensured that elderly residents who couldn't make it to the lobby received supplies directly at their apartments.

By 10 p.m., Mai, Tam, and the other volunteers completed their final delivery. "The power was still out, and people were struggling in the dark, hoping the rain would stop," Tam said.

Floodwaters reach the elevators in the Ecohome 1 lobby as residents work to clear the area for receiving supplies, 8 p.m. on 26/8. Video: Dong Tam

The flooding was a result of Typhoon Kajiki, which brought heavy rainfall to Hanoi throughout 25/8 and into the morning of 26/8. Some areas recorded over 150-200 mm of rain, with Thuong Tin district receiving over 160 mm in just eight hours. The storm caused flooding in basements and first-floor elevators in several apartment complexes across the city, disrupting residents' lives. According to the Hanoi Drainage Company, as of 6 p.m., 26 locations remained flooded or waterlogged, including: Vo Chi Cong (UDIC Building), Lac Long Quan, Le Duc Tho (My Dinh Square), Duong Dinh Nghe, Phan Van Truong, Tran Binh, Hoa Bang, Phuc Xa, Pham Hung, Thien Hien, Nguyen Chinh, Duong 2.5 Den Lu (near Den Lu Lake), Huynh Thuc Khang, Thai Ha, Nguyen Van Troi, Ngoc Lam, Co Linh, Dam Quang Trung, Dai Lo Thang Long Underpass, Cau Buou, Yen Xa, Trieu Khuc, Yen Nghia, and Quyet Thang.

Nga Thanh