When rainy season comes, the only road from Cồn Soi Village is flooded, isolating the village from the outside world. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ TĨNH - Every year in the rainy season, Cồn Soi Village in Hà Tĩnh is isolated by floodwaters from the outside world.

The only road out of the village is submerged, leaving villagers with a stark choice; brave the waters, or stay in the village.

For many years, residents have petitioned for a bridge to end the dangerous disruption to their lives.

The heavy rain in early October flooded the dam connecting Cồn Soi Village to the Trung Lộc Commune's centre, disrupting traffic.

Phan Nhật, in Cồn Soi Village, said the village is isolated yearly by floods.

"People's lives are completely turned upside down when it rains heavily. We have longed for a bridge."

This situation greatly affected all socio-economic aspects, not only for Cồn Soi Village's people but also for the whole commune.

The villagers mainly work in agriculture. When roads are flooded, the transportation of agricultural products becomes impossible, and students cannot get to school.

Party secretary of Cồn Soi Village, Phan Cao Sơn, said that the 50m long spillway was made of stone and cement, but flood water has washed away all cement layer, and for a long time, causing erosion and damage to the dam's surface, affecting people's travel and goods.

"In the past, the spillway has had several unfortunate accidents, but for a long time, people were careful, so accidents were limited.

"When parents take their children to school during floods, they have to carry them on their backs; they don't dare let them travel alone," said Sơn.

Cồn Soi villagers must travel tens of kilometres to reach the centre of Trung Lộc Commune.

Sơn said for nearly ten years, people have proposed building a bridge.

"Although the local authorities understand the hardships of people, the limited money fund prevented us from building a bridge," said Sơn.

Nguyễn Văn Đại, Vice Chairman of Trung Lộc Commune People's Committee, said building a bridge over the spillway was an urgent problem for hundreds of households in the whole commune.

However, the commune's budget is not enough. The authorities want individuals or organisations to support and help people.

Villagers of Trung Lộc Commune mainly work in fields with many economic difficulties.

However, with the efforts of the Party Committee, the authorities and the consensus of local people, in 2017, it reached the new rural countryside standard. VNS