By Lê Việt Dũng

HÀ NỘI — On the morning of Wednesday, October 28 three years ago, a ferocious storm swept through Ông Đề, a small village nestled in the mountainous areas of Quảng Nam Province, unleashing a deluge of rainwater cascading down the steep slopes of its nearby mountains.

Villagers gathered and took refuge in a public official's house, staying hopeful that the storm would soon be over, praying their concrete shelter would be able to withstand the worst of it.

But things did not go as planned.

Torrential rains set off a massive landslide in the afternoon, dislodging hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of debris that quickly engulfed the village. In the blink of an eye, 24 people lost their lives beneath the piles of rubble.

"When Nga (the official's spouse) saw torrents of mud and rocks tearing down the hillside like a waterfall, she shouted for everyone to run but the mudslides were too quick," recounted Lê Thị Thu Hằng, Secretary of Trà Leng Commune's Party Committee.

"Only a few managed to survive."

Rescue operations after the landslide that claimed the lives of 24 people in the village of Ông Đề. — VNA/VNS Photo Bùi Văn Lanh

Several days later, another landslide came crashing through Tắk Pát, a village near to Ông Đề, burying more than 19 houses in mud. Luckily, no lives were lost as villagers had evacuated beforehand.

"More than 19 families had their houses flattened in the wake of the second landslide but, fortunately, there were no casualties," said Phan Quốc Cường, Chairman of Trà Leng Commune's People's Committee.

In the immediate aftermath of the catastrophe, local authorities wasted no time in launching rescue operations and providing emergency relief to the landslide-stricken villagers. As the days turned into weeks, the focus shifted towards long-term resettlement for those who survived.

A scheme was implemented to resettle them in a new town, Bằng La, which means "a land of bamboo" in the Bh'noong language. The town was under construction for four months and eventually inhabited by 39 families in April 2021.

A view of Bằng La from above. The six-hectare settlement has become a new home for 39 families from Ông Đề and Tắk Pát. - VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

A row of houses in the town. Each house was built on a land slot of 200sq.m and with a fund of VNĐ180 million. — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

The new houses were more than just shelters; they were designed with resilience in mind to better withstand natural perils. Riverside embankments and drains were also erected to keep the resettlement untouched by flood and erosion.

Drains being constructed to make the town a no-flood zone. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Hữu Trung

Riverside embankments under construction. These 5.5-metre-high structures provide a formidable defence against erosion. — VNA/VNS Photo Đoàn Hữu Trung

Hồ Văn Đề, who lost eight family members in the landslides, was one of the town's very first residents. For him, the moment of receiving the key to his new house was nothing short of a rebirth. He was filled with a mixture of emotions - joy, relief, gratitude, and a sense of new beginnings.

"My new house is bigger, safer, and more comfortable than my old one. Floods and landslides cannot trouble us any more," said Đề.

Beyond a place to resettle, he was also provided with financial assistance and livestock to restart his farm. With the income from cattle and poultry, life has become much easier for the 80-year-old Bh'noong senior.

Đề returns home from his farm. He founded the village of Ông Đề twenty-two years ago. — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

For Hồ Thị Tâm, what the settlement has offered her goes far beyond just a safe roof over her head; it's better care for her children. They now have the privilege of attending an up-to-national-standard kindergarten built in the centre of town, which is fitted with a spacious play ground and a well-equipped kitchen.

Tâm herself was also granted more than 1,000 seedlings of a variety of plants to rebuild her farm at a site adjacent to the town. Two rainy seasons have passed but her hard-earned crops were no longer at the mercy of floods and erosion.

Tâm teaching her children how to read and write at her new home. — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

Nguyễn Minh Đức was granted a preferential loan of VNĐ50 million (US$2,046) to pursue his dream of a goat farm. After years of hard work, the once-small herd has multiplied, filling the pastures with healthy and thriving goats.

But Đức is more than just a goat raiser. When the work on his farm is done, he returns home to run a small grocery store and take care of his child while his wife goes to the woods harvesting cinnamon. The security he found in the town has allowed him to look forward and plan for a prosperous future.

Đức with his wife and child when after returning home from his farm. — VNS Photo Lê Việt Dũng

Though the scars of the landslides would never fully heal, they have transformed into a source of strength for the residents to begin their lives afresh.

A close-knit community has begun to rise from ruins. — VNS