Small boats, big heart: Da Nang residents unite amid rising floodwaters

In Phuoc Hung Hamlet in Ba Na Commune, where around 600 people live, floodwaters have inundated the area, cutting off all roads into and out of the hamlet.

The only lifeline connecting residents to the outside is a small wooden boat rowed tirelessly by Pham Van Hao.

“Residents had been warned in advance, so everyone was mentally prepared and stocked up on basic necêcsities," Hao said.

“However, medicine and some essential goods are still lacking.

“I am rowing people out of the hamlet or bringing supplies back in to distribute."

He shared that while the situation was not yet critical, locals were actively supporting one another.

“If anyone falls ill or needs to go buy something, they can call me,” he said.

If the water rises higher, he is willing to work with local authorities to help evacuate people to safety, he added.

Similarly, in Thach Nham Tay Hamlet in the commune, the only road connecting the community to the outside has disappeared beneath floodwaters.

Locals said the area sits right beside the Tuy Loan River, making it especially vulnerable whenever heavy rains coincide with high tides.

Most residents now depend on small boats for transportation.

N.T.M.D., a local from Thach Nham Tay Hamlet, shared that she needed to go out on Tuesday morning to buy medicine for her feverish child.

The water level on the Tuy Loan River was high, but thanks to the boat, it was much easier to get around, she said.

Across Da Nang, flooding continues to worsen.

In Duong Lam 1 Hamlet, Hoa Vang Commune, Nguyen Thi Hong said that she and her family members lifted all their rice onto raised platforms, but the water rose so fast that everything still got wet.

“Now, my family is staying upstairs to keep dry,” she shared.

In response to downpours and flooding, local authorities have mobilized militia, local police, and emergency response teams to remain on duty around the clock.

Rescue boats and warning ropes have been set up in deeply flooded areas, ready for immediate action if emergencies arise.

With water levels in major rivers continuing to rise, many low-lying residential areas in Hoa Vang and Ba Na Communes, and along the Cam Le and Tuy Loan Rivers, face the threat of even deeper flooding in the coming days.