Na Nghiu village, in Yen Nhan commune, Thuong Xuan district, is one of the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Kajiki. The flash flood on 26/8 caused more than 20 houses to collapse and dozens of others to be damaged.

The area is located over 100 km from Thanh Hoa City. The treacherous mountainous terrain and numerous landslides meant rescue forces took more than two days to reach the affected areas.

"The floodwaters arrived suddenly and raged for hours, leaving the village in ruins," said Luong Van Hung, 38, a Na Nghiu resident. He added that the area had never witnessed such a destructive flood.

Ha Thi Phuc, 40, lost her house in the flood. She recounted how at around 8 a.m. on 26/8, while she was tidying up, thousands of cubic meters of rock and earth cascaded down the mountain with the floodwaters. "I only had time to grab my child and run, leaving all our possessions behind," she said.

Phuc's family of 5 is classified as a low-income household. In June, she received 40 million VND in government aid and borrowed more from relatives to build a house worth over 100 million VND. The joy of having a solid home lasted less than two months before it was destroyed by the flood.

"Our food and essential belongings were all swept away. Now we have nothing left, no home, and we don't know what the future holds," Phuc shared.

Luong Van Hung, 38, searched through the remains of his collapsed house for a bag of rice. He recounted how at about 8 a.m. on 26/8, floodwaters suddenly rushed down, sweeping away his young son. "I dropped everything and rushed to grab my son and find shelter. If I had been a few minutes later, I would have lost him," Hung said, adding that it was fortunate the flood occurred during the day, allowing many people to escape.

A man from Na Nghiu village picked up a teddy bear belonging to his grandchildren that had been swept away by the flood. Scattered among the debris were family photos and the children's soaked and crumpled school books.

Many people from Na Nghiu village who work away from home rushed back upon hearing the news of the flood. On their way, they repeatedly tried calling their families, but couldn't get through. With roads blocked by landslides, many had to walk dozens of kilometers over slippery slopes, drenched in the rain, just hoping to see their parents, wives, and children safe.

A truck belonging to Na Nghiu residents lies among the wreckage after being swept away by the floodwaters.

The road to Na Nghiu village is blocked by thousands of cubic meters of earth and rock that have fallen from the hillside. For three days, rescue workers have had to trek through dangerous landslides and along high cliffs to deliver essential supplies to the villagers.

Yen Nhan commune is still without electricity, and many areas have no phone signal. Relief efforts and recovery work are underway, but the blocked roads are creating significant challenges.

According to commune leaders, 166 households have been affected, with 22 houses completely destroyed. The authorities have evacuated 123 households, comprising over 490 people, to safety.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Kien, head of Yen Nhan commune police, said authorities are working tirelessly to clear the roads to the isolated villages. "We still haven't been able to reach Khong and My villages. We have to trek through the forest for over three hours, carrying food and water supplies on our backs, to ensure that the people there don't go hungry," Kien said.

About 120 km from Yen Nhan, Cha Lung village in the border commune of Tam Thanh (formerly Quan Son district) has also suffered significant damage from Typhoon Kajiki.

Over the past two days, authorities have urgently evacuated 106 households, comprising 494 people, from 8 villages to safer locations as a precaution against landslides.

Cha Lung Kindergarten and Primary School in Tam Thanh commune suffered damage to furniture and teaching materials due to the flood.

Border guards and police have been mobilized to help residents and schools recover from the flood.

On the afternoon of 25/8, Typhoon Kajiki made landfall in Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh provinces with winds of level 10-11, gusting to level 13. The typhoon raged for 10 hours, causing heavy rain from North Central Vietnam to several northern provinces. Of the three localities directly affected, Thanh Hoa experienced the most severe flooding.

According to the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, heavy local rainfall combined with flooding from upstream rivers and streams in the mountainous areas and upper Laos caused the Ma, Chu, Buoi, and Cau Chay rivers to exceed warning level three. Dozens of thousands of households in downstream areas like Cam Thuy, Vinh Loc, Thach Thanh, and Ham Rong were submerged, and several national highways were paralyzed for hours.

By 29/8, the rain had subsided, and water levels in rivers and streams had receded significantly. Residents began returning to clean up their homes after days of evacuation.