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| Leaders of Dan Dien Commune surveying the areas where fish were found dead after the floods |
The pain by the muddy river flows
Sitting quietly by the banks of the Bo River, Mr. Hoang Huu Phuoc from Ha Lang Village, Dan Dien Commune, shared with a heavy heart while looking towards his grass carp cages that once floated. He sighed, “Just a few more days and I would’ve sold the fish. I’ve lived with this river for years and been through many floods, but this time, I couldn’t withstand it. The water rose too fast, carrying thick muddy silt that shocked the fish. They floated up, dead, covering the river’s surface. I lost 25 tons of grass carp, it’s all gone…”. His voice trembled. What he lost wasn’t just property, it was his sweat, his labor, and the hope of his entire family after nearly a year of living and sleeping by those fish cages.
Mr. Phuoc is not the only one. Many other families raising fish in floating cages along the Bo River have faced the same fate. Mr. Le Quang Hoa shared: “Nearly 15 tons of my red tilapia died in the flood. This type of fish has been raised by local farmers for the past few years and usually brings good income. We knew heavy rain was coming, but the water rose too fast, there was no time to react. The fish went into shock from the sudden change in temperature and water level, and then they all died at once”.
According to experienced farmers, the key factor in cage fish farming is the quality of the water. This year, however, the river turned muddy and fast-flowing. Furthermore, it also changed suddenly and unpredictably, making all the farmers’ preparations meaningless.
Mr. Le Quang Ghe, who owned 9 cages of grass carp, spoke with sadness in his voice: “I promised my son that once I sold this batch of fish, I’d buy him a motorbike so he could get to school. But now… there’s nothing I can do. No one can fight against the will of heaven”.
Local authorities and local people work together
According to Mr. Le Ngoc Duc, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dan Dien Commune, a total of 17 households suffered losses of from 1 ton and over of fish per family. Among them, the families of Mr. Hoang Huu Phuoc and Mr. Le Quang Hoa were hit the hardest.
“Grass carp and red tilapia once helped many families earn a decent living. They lived, ate, and slept with their fish,” Mr. Duc said. “And yet, just one flood swept it all away, all their hard work, gone in an instant. It’s heartbreaking… truly painful”.
Local authorities appointed officers to directly come to the affected areas to visit and encourage local fishermen, while also helping assess the damage. All recorded statistics will be summarized to submit to the city, then timely propose support policies for those losses.
Mr. Le Ngoc Duc added: “For now, the commune has instructed households to reinforce their fish cages and closely monitor the flood situation to ensure the safety of both people and property. We’re also mobilizing local traders and residents to quickly purchase the remaining fish to help farmers recover some of their losses. In the long run, the commune has proposed that the Hue City People’s Committee introduce support policies for affected households.
Amid the fear of losing everything, fish farmers have found some comfort in the kindness of their neighbors. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong, a local resident, said emotionally: “Seeing so many fish die all at once is heartbreaking. Well, I can’t help much, but I try to buy a few of the surviving fish to support them in this difficult time. In the countryside, that’s how we live. When hardship comes, we help each other out”.
Those small yet deeply heartfelt acts of kindness have warmed the hearts of households struggling to endure their losses. Amid the vast floodwaters, the spirit of neighborly love still remains, the most precious “treasure” that no storm or flood can ever wash away.
Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tien, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Dan Dien Commune, affirmed that the local authorities are paying special attention to environmental issues after the flood: “We have given very specific instructions on properly disposing of dead fish or using them as fertilizer, absolutely ensuring that the water source is not contaminated. Every step of the process is being closely monitored”.
According to forecasts, in the coming days, the central region, including Hue City, will continue to experience heavy rain, with some areas expecting very heavy rainfall. Yet, the people of Dan Dien remain hopeful that after the devastating flood, they will rebuild from the ground up. Here, along the Bo River, residents are accustomed to facing floods, and above all, they have faith, resilience, and the solidarity of their community.
Though many difficulties remain, there is still a spark of hope in the eyes of caged fish farmers: when the sky is clear and the water recedes, they will once again begin rebuilding new cages and raising new batches of fish, just as the people of Dan Dien have always steadfastly lived in harmony with their beloved hometown river.