Vietnam's Lệ Bắc 'oasis' village nears end of river isolation with new bridge

Construction of the Lệ Bắc bridge in Vietnam's Quảng Nam province is bringing a long-awaited dream to life for the residents of Lệ Bắc village. For decades, the village has been effectively isolated during the rainy season, earning it the moniker of a riverine "oasis" cut off from the mainland.

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Ở đây hơn 40 năm, tôi chưa bao giờ nghĩ có ngày dân làng mình được đi cầu thay vì đi ghe. Mỗi lần nhìn cây cầu lớn dần lên là thấy lòng nhẹ hẳn. Bao năm sống thấp thỏm với mùa lũ, giờ mới dám nghĩ tới những ngày bình yên

During the dry season, a concrete road allows passage, but the arrival of monsoon rains transforms the area into a watery expanse. Residents then depend on small boats, a precarious lifeline that has historically posed dangers. Many recall the fear and anxiety associated with the river's unpredictable nature, especially after a tragic incident three years prior where a boat carrying five women capsized, resulting in one fatality.

The new bridge promises to end this isolation, offering a safer and more reliable connection to the outside world. Children will no longer have to brave dangerous boat rides to attend school, and adults will face fewer disruptions to their work. The improved connectivity is also expected to boost the local economy, which relies on the cultivation of vegetables, crops, and livestock across nearly 200 hectares of farmland, currently hampered by weather-dependent transportation.

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4 người may mắn bám được bụi cây ven bờ nên thoát chết, còn 1 người thì không trở về nữa. Từ đó, mỗi lần trời đổ mưa là ai cũng bất an

Residents like Nguyễn Thị Năm, who has lived in the village for over 40 years, express profound relief and emotion at the sight of the bridge progressing. "I never thought our village people would get to cross a bridge instead of taking a boat," she said, her eyes welling up. "Every time I see the big bridge growing, I feel lighter. After years of living anxiously with the flood season, I can finally think of peaceful days."

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Con nít ở đây quen với áo phao từ nhỏ. Mỗi mùa mưa đến là cha mẹ mất ăn mất ngủ. Giờ sắp có cầu rồi, tụi nhỏ sau này sẽ không còn cảnh run rẩy ngồi ghe đi học giữa nước lũ nữa