After a devastating flash flood swept through Nu Village in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam this month, Hoang Van Thoi, a 33-year-old local man, lost his mother, wife, and two children, while his one-year-old son has yet to be found.
“Since my mother, wife, and children passed away, I've been unable to sleep. I come here every morning to look for my youngest son," Thoi said in tears while scouting the flash flood-hit area for his son.
“He's still missing."
The flash flood swept away all his family members and assets, including two buffaloes and a small cassava and corn farm.
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| Hoang Van Thoi sits next to the coffins of his mother, wife, and two children in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
The haunting feeling of missing his family members rendered him afraid of returning home. He has stayed at his sister’s house instead.
“I can’t bear returning home. I can’t stand seeing photos of my family," Thoi burst into tears.
“My strongest desire is to find my youngest son.”
On September 9, a landslide occurred on a hill behind Thoi’s house following many rainy days induced by super typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in northern Vietnam two days earlier.
He took his family to his relative’s house to protect the lives of his mother, wife, and three children.
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| Hoanh Van Thoi Thoi looks at photos of his family in his house in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam. He lost his family and assets to floods induced by super typhoon Yagi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
However, the flash flood tore through his village on September 10, claiming the lives of 10 people in his family.
At the time of the incident, Thoi was at his home.
To date, the bodies of 10 of Thoi’s family members have been found. Only his one-year-old son remains missing.
Since September 10, Thoi has come to the flood-hit area daily to look for his son.
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| Hoang Van Thoi opens his first-born daughter’s backpack and takes out books which are now mementos of his daughter. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
The deadly flash flood ravaged Nu Village in Phuc Khanh Commune, Bao Yen District, Lao Cai on September 9 morning.
Rescuers had found the bodies of 52 people, while 14 others were still missing as of Sunday afternoon.
Fifteen Nu Village residents are currently receiving medical treatment.
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| His greatest desire is to find his youngest son. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| The distance between his home and his relative’s house was just over a kilometer. He recalled the moment he saw the collapsed house where his mother, wife, and children had been living. Overcome with fear, he could do nothing but wail and rush to find his family. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi stands in a flood-hit area. His village was nearly destroyed with houses brought down and buried in mud. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi searches for his son tirelessly. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Beneath the mud once stood the homes of 37 households, sheltering over 100 people. A flash flood reduced Nu Village in Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam to ruins, leaving only a few dozen residents unharmed. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| A slipper of Hoang Van Thoi’s niece was found on September 12, 2024. He also found the bodies of his two nieces at the location. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Besides Hoang Van Thoi, many other people in the village try to search for their family members. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi and military officers turn over each wood and bamboo bar to look for his son. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi and those losing family members to the Yagi-induced flood. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| More than 500 people have been mobilized to search for missing victims in Nu Village, Lao Cai Province, northern Vietnam in the wake of super typhoon Yagi. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi rushes to the scene of the flood after hearing that military officers found the body of a victim. However, the victim is not his son. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Hoang Van Thoi completes procedures to receive aid from local authorities. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| He signs a form to receive aid for four family members. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| A Buddhist monk bursts into tears when listening to Hoang Van Thoi’s tragic circumstance. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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| Since Hoang Van Thoi’s mother, wife, and children died, he has been sleepless. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre |
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