In this mountainous commune in Vietnam, people learn to live with frequent earthquakes and fear

In mid-October, the area was struck by repeated earthquakes, with as many as 25 tremors of varying intensity in a single day in the Mang But epicenter.

Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondents traveled to Mang But to learn how local residents and authorities have managed to live with earthquakes over the years.

Along the dusty provincial road 676 under upgrade, locals still continued their daily routines, going to the fields and markets as if the quakes had never happened.

Living with tremors

Sitting on his porch after a rain shower, A Moi, a resident of Dak Lup Hamlet, Mang But Commune, said he is “too familiar” with the quakes now.

He recalled that about four years ago, when the first tremors struck, villagers ran out of their homes in fear.

Over time, as the earthquakes became more frequent, people grew accustomed to them, especially after local authorities explained that most quakes were minor and caused little damage.

“Whether we’re scared or not, life goes on. Whatever will be will be,” Moi said.

To local residents living in the epicenter, earthquakes have become part of their life, he added.

The only real concern is being caught in the fields when strong tremors hit, as rocks might roll down from the hills.

At home, if the shaking lasts too long or gets too strong, people simply run outside.

Along the road back to the commune center, Y Mo, a woman from Vac Ynhong Hamlet, was threshing rice.

She said her family had long gotten used to the shaking.

“If it’s strong, we run to an open space,” she said. “If it’s mild, we just keep working.”

“Sometimes it’s over before we even have time to be scared.”

In Ko Chat Hamlet, where a magnitude-4.9 quake on October 6 caused visible damage, the Mang But 2 ethnic boarding elementary and secondary school suffered cracked walls and foundations in four dormitory rooms.

Principal Nguyen Van Duc said the roof tiles on the two-story building shifted heavily, with some tiles breaking and falling.

He worries another strong quake could cause the roof to collapse.

Teaching in the mountains is already difficult, he said, and constant earthquakes make things harder.

With years of experience “hearing the earth roar,” Duc said the magnitude-4.9 quake was both stronger and longer than usual, so damage was inevitable.

“We regularly teach students how to respond during earthquakes,” he said. “That helps them stay calm when tremors occur. Both teachers and students are used to it now.”

Living with fear

Still, fear never completely fades, especially after strong quakes.

Recalling the magnitude-4.9 quake at 1:29 am on October 6, shop owner Pham Thi Mai from Ko Chat Hamlet said that night, her family woke up and ran outside in panic.

“We may be used to it, but saying we’re not scared would be a lie,” Mai said. “Lately, the quakes have been too frequent and strong.”

Mai said she had lost count of how many times she had fled from earthquakes, as it had become instinct.

At night it is so quiet that when the ground rumbles, people can hear everything.

“Sometimes it feels like an explosion right under our feet, followed by a terrifying roar underground,” Mai recalled.

The quake zone spans Mang But and Mang Ri Communes, but the impact reaches beyond.

Vu Thi Anh Nguyet, who lives in Mang Den Commune more than 50 kilometers away, said she could feel every quake without checking the news and could tell whether it was below or above magnitude-4 just by the vibration.

“During the quake-4.9 on October 6, I woke up screaming as the door rattled and the metal roof shook,” Nguyet recalled.

“I told my family it had to be over magnitude-4, and it was. I couldn’t sleep again until nearly dawn.”

According to locals and authorities, most houses in the area are traditional wooden stilt homes, which are more flexible and less likely to be damaged. In contrast, solid houses tend to crack during tremors.

Ironically, the poverty of the region, where most people still live in simpler wooden homes, has helped limit the impact of the quakes.

Do Thanh Tra, chairman of the Mang But Commune People’s Committee, said while the tremors caused no casualties, they have affected residents’ peace of mind.

Local authorities have been working to raise awareness and instruct safety measures in case of earthquakes.

He added that officials have been in contact with the Institute of Geophysics for guidance and that schools are now incorporating earthquake preparedness into extracurricular activities, helping residents stay calmer when the ground shakes again.

“The commune has proposed that the provincial People’s Committee request central agencies to assess the causes, scale, and potential risks of the earthquakes, and review all schools, health stations, cultural houses, and other essential infrastructure in the area to ensure safety,” Tra said.