The resettlement area for Sa Na villagers has been put into use after flooding hitting the village last August. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Nam

THANH HÓA — The lives of Sa Ná villagers in central Thanh Hóa Province’s Quan Sơn District has gradually stabilised, one year after flash floods killed 10 people and left many more homeless.

In early August last year, floods triggered by prolonged heavy rains hit the village which was home to around 300 people. The flood claimed 10 lives, wiped away 20 houses and damaged many others. Hundreds of hectares of crops were also destroyed.

Local authorities immediately mobilised all available resources to help local people overcome the flood consequences.

They then came up with a plan to build a resettlement area for 51 households whose homes were damaged by the flooding. It is located in Pom Ngồ Hill which covers 5.29ha.

At the new area, each household was granted 240sq.m of residential land with a garden for growing vegetables and fruits.

The district People's Committee also decided to use funds mobilised from the Government, businesses and society to provide financial aid worth VNĐ300 million (US$13,000) for households which were houses damaged between 70-100 per cent, VNĐ200 million for families with houses damaged of 50-70 per cent and VNĐ150 million for those having houses damaged of 30-50 per cent.

The new residential area is just about one kilometre from their previous living area. It includes 19 concrete houses and 32 stilt houses, each between 65-85sq.m.

A cultural house, a kindergarten and an elementary school were also built to help improve the living conditions of local residents.

The resettlement area was put into use in late 2019, four months after the flood hit the village.

Ngân Văn Thêu, a local resident, said: “My family’s life has gradually stabilised after moving to live in the resettlement area. Electricity, water, houses and roads, all were built.

“We now focus on agricultural production, mainly growing rice and planting forest to exploit wood and earn stable income.”

Nguyễn Thị Tiếm, another resident, said her house was damaged and her husband was swept away. She was lucky to be rescued by local authorities.

She has tried to put the loss of her husband behind her and start a new life with a new house and land granted in the resettlement area.

Lữ Văn Hà, Secretary of Na Mèo Commune’s Party Committee, said thanks to the support of authorities of different levels, the living conditions of Sa Ná villagers has improved. The per capita income reaches VNĐ54 million per year.

Local authorities are mobilising people to develop forestry and plan to open a vocational training centre to help boost production and business and stabilise their lives, according to Hà.

Difficulties remain but with great efforts of local authorities and residents, the resettlement area of Sa Ná villagers has developed with many new economic development models. Safe vegetable growing with modern watering system is one sector that has brought in stable income for local farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that natural disasters, mostly flooding, tropical storms and landslides, left 133 people dead or missing in Việt Nam last year and caused damage worth around VNĐ7 trillion (US$303 million). — VNS