The pouring rain from dawn due to the impact of storm No. 3 could not stop the footsteps of people making a living at Nghia Phuong market, Hoa Binh ward, Phu Tho province. vendors and earners are still struggling on the sidewalk and in the market corner, despite the wind and rain.
Sitting cramped under the temporary shelter, Ms. Lien - a vegetable seller for more than 10 years at Nghia Phuong market, shared: "When it rains like this, vegetables are very likely to break down. But if I don't go to sell, I don't know what to get to cook rice in the afternoon. Working as a freelancer, I don't have days off, rain or shine, I still have to go to the market".
She sighed, looking at the deserted rows and then continued: "The sales are very unstable, there are not many people going to the market. No one has anything to store, just buy it every day, if it rains, I will be afraid to go out."
Right next to it, Ms. Ha - the person who hired the goods to wear raincoats early, a wet raincoat, and messy hair due to water. While taking a break at a small cafe, she said: "This job is not easy on a day, it's twice as tiring in the rain. But if I don't take it, no one will hire me, how can I take it to send my children to school".
Ms. Oanh - a resident of Su Ngoi, earns a living by selling locust and make a living by tying up bunches of vegetables in heavy rain. Visiting a familiar stall to avoid the wind, she quickly said: "It's raining so the price of vegetables has increased slightly, this morning I'm on my fifth trip, selling a batch of 7,000 VND each. With this rain, we have to take advantage."
Stopping and arranging a bunch of water spinach that had just been tilted by the wind, she shared: "Every storm is a hard time. If I can't sell, the vegetables will wither, and if I can't sell them, there won't be any meals. It is better than being hungry in the rain."
Not only sellers, but also buyers and pickers are having a hard time. Every time a truck arrives, they are forced to line up in the rain, transporting each heavy sack. The gusts of wind make traveling even more dangerous, but everyone tries to be shy because of the broken rice.
The story of making a living in the wind and rain at Nghia Phuong market is a typical slice of the hardship of millions of freelance workers across the country - those who silently stick to it every day to survive. Whether it is rain or shine, thunderstorms or peace, they are still resilient and do not surrender to fate.
According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, by 11:00 a.m. on July 22, the center of storm No. 3 (Wipha) had reached deep inland in the areas of Hung Yen - Ninh Binh provinces, with strong winds of level 8 (62 - 74 km/h), gusting to level 10. It is forecasted that this afternoon and evening, the storm will move deep into the mainland and gradually weaken.
