According to statistics from the People’s Committee of Phình Giàng commune, the heavy rain from late July to mid-August 2025 caused severe damage throughout the commune. Huổi Có village was the hardest hit: 29 houses were completely flooded, 4 houses were swept away by flash floods, and over 1,000 poultry and 4 pigs were washed away. Tens of hectares of paddy rice, upland rice, corn, cassava, and fruit trees were buried or damaged. Roads, canals, and domestic water supply systems were heavily destroyed, causing prolonged difficulties for the daily lives of hundreds of residents.

About 20 households are still living in the flooded area. The family of Mòng Văn Lân is located right next to Huổi Có stream. During the rain in early August, the water rose over the floor, sweeping away many of the family’s assets. The ground around his house is still muddy and swampy. “I want to move elsewhere to feel secure, but I don’t have land to move to. If I go looking to buy land, I don’t have the money, it’s very difficult. I just hope the State will help the people have a safer place to live...” Mòng Văn Lân confided.

Out of the 107 households in the village, up to 75 are in high-risk landslide areas, necessitating emergency relocation. Some households have been supported in rebuilding new houses, but many others still have to wait for resettlement. After the severe flood, the family of Quàng Văn Sơn, Huổi Có village, moved to temporarily stay on a relative’s land. His old house was partially damaged by the floodwaters, and his son’s house was completely swept away. Since August 3, the 7 people in his family and his son’s family have had to shelter in a hastily built shack made from wooden planks, with a roof covered with cement-fiber sheets salvaged from what remained after the flood. The shack is over 2 meters high, with a dirt floor, and inside there is only enough space for two small beds and a few sets of blankets and mattresses.

Quàng Văn Sơn pointed to the roof: “It’s better when it’s sunny, but when it rains, it leaks as if we are outside. We sleep constantly worried, afraid that water will flood down at any moment. Our entire family doesn’t know when we will have stable accommodation, because the old plot of land cannot be rebuilt, and the new resettlement area is still pending...”

Along the road into Phình Giàng commune, there are many temporary shelters for numerous households. Some families even have to move multiple times. Cút Văn Hoa, Head of Huổi Có village, said: “It’s very difficult. Some households stay in one place when it’s sunny, but when it rains, they have to move to a higher shack to avoid landslides. The elderly and young children have to run up and down according to the weather. No one gets a peaceful night’s sleep.”

“The people of Huổi Có village now only hope to be resettled centrally soon to stabilize their lives quickly. Because if households have to move by themselves now, it is very difficult. There is no land for resettlement. Moreover, if households move by themselves, they will be scattered in many different locations, making management and infrastructure investment difficult for the local government...” Cút Văn Hoa further shared.

Immediately after the natural disaster, the People’s Committee of Phình Giàng commune implemented many measures to ensure the people’s lives. Cà Văn Thao, Chairman of the Phình Giàng commune People’s Committee, said: The commune has reviewed and prepared a proposal requesting an emergency residential arrangement project for 99 households in Huổi Có and Cảnh Lay villages, those who were flooded, swept away by floods, or are in high-risk landslide areas. The resettlement project is expected to build two sites with a total area of about 6 hectares, 2km from the old village. However, there are still some difficulties. Furthermore, the required capital is relatively large, necessitating funding allocation from the provincial and Central levels.

Huổi Có still faces many difficulties returning to its familiar rhythm of life, but the government’s proactiveness and the people’s efforts are important foundations for believing that the village will soon stabilize again. It is considered that the most essential thing now is the timely attention of all levels and sectors so that the residents have safe, sustainable accommodation and can feel secure in developing their lives.