Hanoi children carry lanterns to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival on boats in flood-prone areas

(Dan Tri) - A boat carrying mid-autumn toys was pushed by young people on a village road deeply flooded with water, to each household to give gifts on a special Mid-Autumn night.

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival on a boat at Tot Dong flood center (Video: Huu Nghi)

Dun village is one of six villages in Tot Dong commune (Chuong My, Hanoi) that is still deeply flooded due to the rising Bui river. The village roads have turned into rivers, and people have to use boats to travel. However, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival (September 17), the commune's youth union members waded through the water and pushed their boats to each house to give Mid-Autumn gifts to the children.

"We thought that with the floods this year, the children would not have a Mid-Autumn Festival, so we decided to do it. Everyone discussed ordering flashlights online, then buying candy and preparing boats. The preparation process was completed in just a few hours in the afternoon," Do Viet Luong, a 22-year-old member of Youth Union Branch 10 of Dun village, shared the meaning of this work.

The boat carrying moon cakes, fruits and many gifts was neatly arranged. The members wore shorts and carried loudspeakers, shouting loudly: "Aunties and uncles, let the children come out to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival and receive gifts."

The boat carrying mid-autumn gifts was pushed into each family to deliver gifts.

The electricity in Dun village is still cut off, the flickering light from the solar-powered LED lights is not enough to illuminate the space. The boat with its lanterns shimmering on the water has created a special Mid-Autumn Festival in the flood center.

Children receive gifts on a memorable Mid-Autumn Festival night.

Floods have been rising for many days now, making life difficult for people in some villages of Tot Dong commune. Photo shows members wading through water to reach people's homes to give Mid-Autumn gifts.

Despite difficult circumstances, children in Tot Dong were able to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in special conditions. Villagers were surprised and delighted to see the lantern boats passing by.

During the recent flood, the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union Executive Committee of Tot Dong commune cooperated with the local Disaster Prevention Committee to build dikes and evacuate people to safety. Every day, the union members also distributed hundreds of meals and transported supplies to households affected by storms and floods.

The light from the lanterns shines brightly. Mr. Phung Xuan Toan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tot Dong Commune, said that this year, due to the impact of natural disasters, Tot Dong Commune has decided to shorten unnecessary activities to focus on human and material resources to overcome the consequences. However, the commune is still determined to organize the Mid-Autumn Festival in its own way for children. In addition, the commune also organizes gift giving and supports families in difficult circumstances, poor and near-poor households...