Flood Cleanup in Viet Nam

[Comanche]

Huê City’s worst floods since 1999 have subsided. The rains in the nearby mountains slacked first, and though the water continued to fall in town, the flood levels began to drop on Tuesday. A few more vehicles appeared on the streets, but travelers remained cautious because there was some very slippery mud hiding under the water.




By Wednesday, the rain was replaced by a watery sunshine and cleanup began in earnest. In the countryside the waters receded, but homes near the river and creeks remained full of water. Residents could wade around their homes, so they were not isolated, but it will be another day or so before they will begin cleaning the mud out. That won’t take long as there are no carpets, upholstered furniture, or dry wall to repair – families just sweep the mud from the concrete floor and put the plastic furniture back in place.



The work cleaning the streets is the same in the city or in the villages – scooping up heavy shovelfuls of mud and dumping it back into the river. The Army’s local troops help in the city, allowing a rapid return to daily life. In the villages, the people do the work themselves, doing the hard, back-breaking labor they are accustomed to doing. Whereas large trucks haul the mud in the city, wheelbarrows are used in the village to carry the mud to a nearby small creek.






Like most people living in developing economies, the Vietnamese never pass up a chance to benefit from chance. A lot of wood and bamboo was washed downriver by the flood and caught underneath bridge pilings. Village women made sure they collected as much of the wood as possible – it will make excellent cooking fires once it has dried out.



Likewise, kids in any culture will find a way to have fun – and what could be more fun than jumping into the flooded creek underneath the village bridge?



Or maybe they were just showing off for the foreigner with the camera.

[onewingedangel73106]

Thanks for sharing this the pictures as well as the story behind them you make it seem closer to home with the whole thing.

[ngoduyviet]

I've been following your threads for a while and gotta say you do a really good job capturing the images & telling their stories. Thanks for sharing.

[lscottpht]

Great series, Doug, both this and the last one you posted. I especially like numbers 1, 2, 5 and 6.

[Comanche]

Originally Posted by lscottpht

Great series, Doug, both this and the last one you posted. I especially like numbers 1, 2, 5 and 6.

Thanx, Leslie. My personal favorite is #2.

And thanx everyone else for the compliments. As many of you know, I travel to Viet Nam regularly, but this one was all too brief as I had a week of business in Hanoi, and only four days in my "second home town" of Hue. (say "whey")

If any of you would like to join me on a trip, I'd love to have you along.

[lhdvies]

Thks for the post doug. You do a really good job with your VM series. I like #2 also as you captured the story in the faces and even despair from the side views of the people on the left. This is also why I like Leslie's work so much as she also does a great job of capturing the story in the faces of the people she shoots.

When I get back on my routine I would love to discuss the possibility of a trip.

[Tom]

Great pics. I can't wait to see Vietnam.

[Comanche]

Originally Posted by lhdvies

Thks for the post doug. You do a really good job with your VM series. I like #2 also as you captured the story in the faces and even despair from the side views of the people on the left. This is also why I like Leslie's work so much as she also does a great job of capturing the story in the faces of the people she shoots.

When I get back on my routine I would love to discuss the possibility of a trip.

Well - the two of us share being fans of Leslie's work.

Hey Leslie - when you gonna stop shooting weddings and get back into the field?

[LanceJ]

i think you can tone and crop these a bit better. #2 would be pretty good with a tighter crop and tone.