Fighting against the typhoon

It is 15km by sea to go to Cu Lao Cham Island. Tourists can travel there by high-speed vessel, passenger ship or fishing vessel. While waiting for a fishing vessel at the Cua Dai border checkpoint, I was very surprised at changes on the island. Lieutenant Tran Dac Dong, deputy head of the Cua Dai border checkpoint told me about the moments of fighting against typhoon Xangsane. He said “Cua Dai was in the eye of the typhoon. Although we have taken preventive measures, the typhoon hit the area with strong winds and heavy rains, causing heavy losses in property. More than 100 houses were swept away while nearly 300 others unroofed. However, with the assistance from relevant agencies, local people have overcome the consequences of the typhoon and stabilized their lives enough to welcome the New Year”. 

I recalled a recent working session with Ta Thi Sinh, Chairwoman of the Cua Dai district’s People’s Committee. She said “Before the typhoon hit the mainland, with the help from border guards, we called for boats and ships to find shelter and evacuate hundreds of households to safe shelters. However, as the typhoon was so strong, it caused heavy losses in lives and property. Right after the typhoon had weakened border guards in Quang Nam central province helped salvage sunken ships, repair houses, keep the environment clean and provide free health check-ups and medicines to local people. She was really moved by the good deeds of the border guards.

During my journey to the island I also heard much about the good deeds of the border guards of central Quang Nam province.

Children of the island

After nearly two hours at sea, we reached at the island. The commander officer, lieutenant Nguyen Huu Phap and his staff warmly welcomed us. He said that during typhoon Xangsane, the Tan Hiep district border guards actively mobilized all forces to help local people prevent the typhoon. It coordinated with local authorities to evacuate 276 families (more than 1,100 people) to safe locations. To limit the impact of the typhoon, soldiers on the island conceded a garrison to give shelter to 250 people, including two Russian experts.

With the spirit of mutual affection and assistance, the unit took money from its budget to provide six buckets of instant noodles to six families, whose houses had collapsed. The unit cooperated with relevant agencies and organizations to build 12 new houses, and granted VND600,000-1 billion to each family and VND4-8 million for each collapsed house.

The unit coordinated with local authorities to ensure that no family and person could be in hunger on the island during and after the Tet holiday. Apart from ensuring security and social order in the area, the unit has also provided 150kg of rice and VND750, 000 to 15 families with particular difficulties, to help them enjoy Tet.

Local people became more and more trusting in these border guards. They have provided the border guards with valuable information related to protecting security and sovereign rights in the country’s border areas.

With dominant achievements in emulation movement in 2006, the Tan Hiep border post was presented with the title “the unit determines to win”.

Before saying good-bye, the commissar of the border post, Nguyen Xuan Toan said that although a lot of difficulties remain, they will closely cooperate with local authorities to serve the people and fulfill the tasks set by the Party and nation for the peaceful life of local people on the island.