Peaceful floating houses amid rising water in the flood center of Tan Hoa

The “flood center” of Tan Hoa, Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh is likened to a giant water bag. Due to the low-lying terrain, surrounded by high mountains on three sides, all water sources are concentrated here but the only exit is a narrow mountain cave. By the afternoon of September 20, nearly 430 houses here were flooded from 0.5 to 1.5 meters.

In previous years, when floods came, people had to take shelter in the mountains. When they returned, all their properties and crops were washed away by the water. As a result, people's lives became very difficult, and they had to rely on donations and support from many organizations and individuals across the country.

picture 1 (1).jpg — The “flood center” of Tan Hoa, Minh Hoa district, Quang Binh is likened to a giant water bag. Photo: Oxalis

After the historic flood in 2010, in 2011, people in Tan Hoa commune had the initiative to make rafts to "live with the flood".

Learning from the experience of making flood-avoiding rafts from local people, since 2014 the floating house model has been gradually improved and supplemented with appropriate techniques to ensure safety, becoming the optimal choice for people in the Tan Hoa flood area.

brother 2 (1).jpg — By this afternoon (September 20), nearly 430 houses were flooded from 0.5 to 1.5 meters deep. Photo: Oxalis

"When we were warned of a flood, we moved our belongings and property to the floating house for storage. Then we stocked up on food and water for about 10-15 days. When the water reached the edge of the yard, the whole family moved to the floating house to live and work. As the water rose, the floating house followed, so we felt very secure," said Ms. Dinh Thi Thu, a resident.

According to Ms. Thu, people live on floating houses as normal as their main houses. Even when the water recedes, a large amount of alluvium will be left behind, making the land more fertile and making farming easier.

picture 3 (1).jpg — Locals here said that when the water reached the edge of the yard, the whole family moved to the floating house to live and work. Photo: Contributor

From above, the floating houses with blue corrugated iron roofs stand out in the muddy floodwaters. To facilitate movement within the village, each family has a boat to get around.

Before that, the livestock had been moved to high mountain areas to avoid the flood. Every day, people would row boats to cut grass and feed the animals.

Mr. Truong Thanh Duan, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, said: "Tan Hoa residents no longer feel panic when floods come, instead, they feel that floods are normal."

picture 4 (1).jpg — Truong Tam Dan, village 2, Yen Tho, prepares dinner for her family on a floating house. Photo: Contributor

Over the years, Tan Hoa people have adapted to floods, they have built floating houses to prevent floods so everything has almost become normal.

From a poor village, suffering from floods and struggling to make a living under limestone mountains, Tan Hoa began to participate in Oxalis's tourism activities. The fact that tourists of Tu Lan discovery tours experience home-cooked meals along with tourism products adapted to the weather has brought jobs and income to local people.