At 90, woman swims for life through fierce flood in Vietnam

Rain continued to lash the village in Tuong Linh Commune on Tuesday.

For nearly two days, Biu and her 95-year-old husband have sought refuge at the church, along with hundreds of villagers.

“Luckily, this place is on high ground. It is a lifebuoy for the whole village,” she said.

The elderly couple, who have seven children living in the northern and southern regions, still farm a modest plot of rice fields to stay independent and avoid burdening their children.

Despite their age, they remain mentally sharp and physically active.

Biu recalled the night of Sunday, when torrential rains pounded their roof and howling winds startled her awake.

At 2:00 am on Monday, water reached her calves.

Her husband urged her to lift their rice and food supplies to higher ground

As they struggled to move just a few sacks of rice, the water surged to thigh level in mere minutes.

“We had to give up. It broke my heart watching all our rice disappear under the water,” the nonagenarian said.

Between 2:00 and 6:00 am, floodwaters rose rapidly, reaching their necks as the couple clung to hope in the dark.

“If the water had burst in any harder, we wouldn’t have made it,” she recounted.

“It was dark and stormy, while we had no boats and could not call for help.

“I can swim, so I risked it and swam to my grandchild’s house about 10 meters away. Thankfully, rescuers came just in time,” she shared.

The flood claimed everything–sacks of rice, over a dozen chickens, even a new water container.

“We lost it all, but as long as we’re alive, we still have everything,” she said.

Hope amid loss

In the same shelter, 71-year-old Vu Thi Thien stood quietly, while her eyes fixed on her submerged home across the floodwaters.

“I’m 71, and I’ve never seen a flood this fierce,” she said, visibly shaken.

Her tiled house, with a deteriorating thatched kitchen in the back, could not withstand the relentless rain and wind.

At 1:00 am on Sunday, water began to rise rapidly, so she and her husband rushed to save what little they had–sacks of rice, bundles of rushes for mat weaving.

However, three hours later, floodwaters had reached their necks.

With no escape, they clung to floating rushes in their home, praying for daylight and rescue.

“Everything’s gone. The TV, the fridge, which are our most valuable possessions, are underwater.

“I just hope the TV didn’t float away and the fridge still works,” Thien said.

She shared that she and villagers have relied on local police and authorities who row boats and wade through floodwaters to bring food and water.

“The authorities made sure no one went hungry, which gave us some comfort amid the chaos,” Thien said.

All she hopes for now is for the waters to recede, so she can go home, clean up, and search for belongings after the flood.

“We know lives are more important than things, but it still hurts.”

Humanity shines through

Despite the cramped conditions and the fear of what lies ahead, the shelter at Kien An Parish Church is filled not only with anxiety but also compassion.

Villagers share what little they have–loaves of bread, packets of noodles–waiting for the waters to retreat.

Through the sorrow in Thien’s eyes and the depth of Biu’s gaze, a quiet strength endures.

They believe that their village will recover soon after floods.

“When the waters go down in a few days, I’ll go home, clean up, and head to the market to buy a few chicks,” Biu said with a faint smile to Thien.

The north-central and northern regions are experiencing heavy rainfall and widespread flooding, caused by storm Bualoi, the 10th storm to enter the East Vietnam Sea this year, which made landfall in Ha Tinh Province early Monday.