A night of fear, cold, and desperate livestreams

On the night of November 19, large-scale flooding struck eastern Dak Lak Province, catching many residents off guard. With floodwaters rising rapidly and homes swallowed by murky water, some families clung to rooftops in the darkness, turning to social media as their last lifeline.

One woman, identified as Hong Dao, posted urgent SOS messages on Facebook, pleading for help for herself and her two children who were trapped on their roof in Bau Tranh Van Loc, Hoa My Commune. She provided her exact address and phone number, hoping rescue teams could reach them in time.

Dao livestreamed twice during the night, sobbing and comforting her children as she begged authorities to come. “It’s raining heavily. It’s so cold. Please help us,” she cried out in one video, her voice trembling.

By 4:30 a.m. on November 20, she posted again. At 5:45 a.m., VietNamNet reporters reached her by phone - her battery was nearly dead. They were still waiting for rescuers to arrive.

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Floodwaters surge through Dong Xuan Commune, located downstream from the Song Ba Ha Hydropower Plant. Photo: CTV

Hundreds of emergency calls as rescue teams struggle

Hong Dao was not alone. Throughout the night, social media was flooded with similar posts from residents and relatives, sharing contact information and exact locations for those stranded in flood zones.

“From last night until now, we've received hundreds of emergency calls from residents,” said Nguyen Thien Van, Vice Chairman of the Dak Lak Provincial People's Committee. “But rescue operations are extremely difficult due to high water levels and fast currents.”

He added that local forces were assembling makeshift rafts to help relocate people from low-lying homes to higher ground. However, strong currents and submerged obstacles made it nearly impossible for canoes or boats to navigate.

“Just yesterday, a rescue canoe was nearly capsized after getting entangled in barbed wire mesh,” Van said.

Power cut, heavy rainfall, and emergency discharge from hydropower plant

At 4:45 a.m., Tran Van Thuan, Director of Dak Lak Power Company, reported a water inflow of 14,380 cubic meters per second into the Song Ba Ha Hydropower reservoir. With the dam unable to retain such volume, the plant discharged 13,100 m³/s downstream - submerging lowland areas.

Forecasts warned of more heavy rain throughout the day in eastern Dak Lak, and nearly the entire area was cut off from power.

Since November 17, the province has experienced torrential rains, triggering flash floods and landslides, especially in mountainous and eastern districts.

As water rushed downstream from the overfilled Song Ba Ha reservoir, entire communities were inundated overnight.

Hai Duong