Thuong Cat farmers drain water to prevent flooding, protect vegetable gardens after storm No. 10

Drain water to prevent flooding, protect vegetable gardens

Thuong Cat Ward (Hanoi City) is known as a vegetable growing area, supplying many traditional markets in Hanoi. With a large area, the people here mainly grow vegetables such as water spinach, mustard, Malabar spinach, spices, etc. to serve daily consumption needs.

However, located along the Red River and with low terrain, Thuong Cat often faces the risk of flooding every time there is prolonged heavy rain. In particular, the impact of storm No. 10 brought heavy rain, causing fields to quickly overflow with water.

Recorded at noon on September 29, prolonged heavy rain forced many farming households to install pumps to drain water, prevent flooding, and save vegetable gardens.

Mr. Nguyen Van Suot (73 years old, Thuong Cat ward, Hanoi) soaked his left hand carrying the pump to the field. As soon as he planted the pump, Mr. Suot sighed and said: "Just one night of rain, the water rose so quickly. If they cannot pump in time, the vegetables will have water roots in just 1-2 days, which is considered a total loss. My family still has 4 sao of green onions in the process of being harvested.

"I have been almost un sleepy these past few days. I live in a tent in the fields to watch the water, every time it rains, I pump out water to prevent flooding, and constantly monitor the water level. Vegetables only need to be flooded for 2-3 days to spoil. If we give up, the effort of many months will be considered as a waste of water, a waste of tanks," said Mr. Suot.

According to him, his family has prepared a large-capacity pump. If the rain continues and we can't recover in time, we will install more machines to protect the green onion garden.

Winding the boat to keep the vegetable beds

In the vast fields, the rain was pouring, the mud was sparkling, and the figures of people crammed into old raincoats, with their hands full and shovels, tirelessly clearing each water trough. The sound of the pump permeates the entire rain, the muddy water is sucked into the canal.

Mr. Suot shared: "My family takes turns going to the fields all day and night. Soaking in water a lot, your hands and feet are cracked, but if you don't do it, you will be considered a total loss. I just hope the rain stops so that the green onion garden wont be flooded.

"When the weather is harsh, I have to work a little harder. If the ditches are not cleared and the water is removed promptly, in just a few days the roots will rot and the leaves will be flooded, considering it a month's worth of effort to cross the river. Therefore, I always prepare a pump to promptly drain water and protect the vegetable garden, he emphasized.

Mr. Nguyen Van Be - another vegetable grower in Thuong Cat ward - said: "The people here have been involved in vegetable growing for generations. Wind and rain, storms and floods are annual occurrences. Despite the hardships, people still persistently stick to the fields, because if they abandon the fields, they will have no way to raise their children and grandchildren to study.

"In the past few days, my family has had to take turns on duty, pumping water from morning to night. The water level kept rising despite continuous pumping but the rain was still pouring. Always worried, just afraid of losing the crop, Mr. Be worried.