Pain in Muong Than Commune: 'I went looking for my mother but couldn't find her'

The village of Doi 11 in Muong Than commune, Lai Chau province, is grappling with the aftermath of a fierce flood that swept through the area, leaving behind a landscape of devastation and a heart-wrenching number of missing persons. Residents are living through agonizing moments, holding onto fragile hopes of finding their loved ones amidst the mud, rocks, and debris.

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When I arrived, the houses and fields were completely flattened. I ran everywhere looking for my mother, but I couldn't find her anywhere...

Pham Thi Thao, 43, sits numbly before a makeshift altar holding a photo of her mother, who is among those missing. The floodwaters washed away her mother's home, leaving only a bare patch of ground. Thao recounted receiving a premonition after seeing live social media streams of the rising floodwaters near her mother's house. Her calls went unanswered, and upon reaching her mother's village after navigating road blockages, she was met with utter devastation and no sign of her mother.

"When I arrived, the houses and fields were completely flattened. I ran everywhere looking for my mother, but I couldn't find her anywhere..." Thao said, her voice choked with emotion. Her mother had been visiting the village and was at a neighbor's house when the flash flood struck with terrifying speed, leaving no time for escape.

“

Waiting hour by hour, minute by minute to find my mother. If anyone has any information, please report it to the family, hoping that the relevant authorities can find my mother soon.

As days pass without news, the hope of finding her mother alive dwindles. Thao tearfully pleaded for any information and urged authorities to intensify search efforts. The flood also brought immense tragedy to Nguyen Thanh Hai, 35, whose wife and two children were swept away. While Hai was rescued, his wife and son's bodies were later found, but his elder daughter remains missing. Families of the missing continue to keep vigil along the riverbanks, following the search teams' progress.

“

Come home, my child, it's very cold out here...