On the morning of September 15, the yard of Ba Long Primary & Secondary School (Ba Long commune, Quang Tri province) still had mud and soil after the flood. Some areas of the yard foundation still had water stagnant, and the walkways had not been completely cleaned of traces of floodwater. But inside the classrooms, the desks and chairs were neatly placed, and the classroom floor was clean to welcome students back.
Two days earlier, this place was still submerged in water. The floodwaters overflowed the school gate, covered the schoolyard and crept into the classrooms. The muddy floodwaters rose high around the buildings, many areas of the schoolyard were deeply flooded, and classroom tables and chairs were affected by mud.
When the water recedes, the classroom is no longer flooded, but instead there is a layer of young mud clinging to the floor, walls, tables and chairs and many teaching aids.
Immediately after the water receded, hundreds of people were present at the school to start cleaning up. Teachers, police, military, militia, youth union members, and parents shared each task.
Outside the schoolyard, desks and chairs are taken out to be washed clean. In the classroom, teachers and support forces use brooms, shovels, and water hoses to collect mud and soil, wiping each table and chair. Some classrooms still have mud stains on the walls after the floodwaters receded, but each classroom is gradually being cleaned up with unremitting efforts.
Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan - Principal of Ba Long Primary & Secondary School said that the water started to recede from about 11 pm - 12 am on September 13. From 7:30 am on September 14, the school mobilized forces to work continuously until about 5:30 pm - 6 pm on the same day to complete cleaning the classrooms.
About 210 people including school officials and teachers, police, commune military forces, parents and youth union members participated in cleaning. Classrooms and tables and chairs were sprayed and cleaned to ensure conditions for students to return to school," Mr. Tuan said.
According to the Principal of Ba Long Primary & Secondary School, the recent rain and flood caused flooding in many areas of the school. At the main point in Da Noi village, the teacher dormitory area was flooded more than 2m deep; the secondary school building was flooded about 1.5m; the primary school area was flooded more than 1m.
15 classrooms at the main point were affected, including 7 secondary school classes and 8 primary school classes. Floodwaters swept mud and soil into classrooms, causing many difficulties for sanitation work.
However, thanks to proactively responding before the water rose, the school limited property damage. Equipment such as televisions and electric fans were moved by teachers to a high position; books and school supplies of students were safely preserved.
The main damage is mud and soil flooding into the school. Overcoming it takes a lot of effort, but thanks to the support of the forces, the school has completed it so that students can return to school," Mr. Tuan shared.
Ba Long Primary & Secondary School currently has 5 school sites including 1 main site, 1 branch and 3 satellite school sites, with a total of 689 students. In addition to the main school site, Trieu Nguyen branch more than 17km away was also affected when mud and rocks from the mountain area flooded into the classrooms. Teachers here completed cleaning on September 14. Retail school sites in Hai Phuc and Mach Son were also inspected and cleaned after the flood.
