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On the afternoon of September 28th, the water level on the Hoai River, as it flows through Hoi An ancient town, was above alarm level 2, with strong currents and rising water. Trees were uprooted, and many areas were devastated. Garbage from all over was carried by the floodwaters into the city center and got stuck on the bridge railings.
While the people of Hoi An are still dealing with the aftermath of the storm and moving their belongings to safety from the floods, hundreds of domestic and international tourists have returned to visit and experience the scene of floodwaters inundating Hoi An.
A group of tourists from Belgium worked tirelessly to clean up the trash after the storm hit Hoi An.
Among them, many were impressed by the image of a group of foreign tourists diligently cleaning up trash and clearing the floodwaters flowing under a bridge spanning the Hoai River (a branch of the river that flows through the ancient town of Hoi An).
Max Devlieger (from Belgium) shared: "We came to the North, then planned to visit the Central and Southern regions, but then we encountered the storm. Vietnam is a beautiful country, and the people are very kind, so we wanted to contribute a little to help the city return to its former beauty. For us, this was the first time we had experienced such a major storm. I live in Belgium, where we don't have storms or anything like that. We wanted to help the Vietnamese people get through this storm."
Reportedly, Max Devlieger's group consists of more than five members, all from Belgium. This cleanup activity was unplanned and stemmed from the fact that the group was exploring central Vietnam but got stranded in Hoi An due to Typhoon Noru.
"We want to help the people of Vietnam get through this storm," shared Max Devlieger.
Thijes Renson excitedly said: "We wanted to help a little to clean up the waterway, so the city could be greener. We are so sorry that the storm came. This was probably the biggest storm we've ever seen. I hope no one was injured or killed."
According to Thijes Renson, the experience with Typhoon Noru was unforgettable. He also said he was deeply impressed by the scenery in Hoi An and the resilience of the people in Central Vietnam in the face of the storm.
The group of foreign tourists braved the difficulties to clean up the trash that was blocking the side of the bridge over the Hoai River.
Currently, floodwaters in Hoi An Old Town are still rising, and it is expected that the area will remain submerged for several more days. Many tourists are also willing to experience the feeling of taking a boat tour of Hoi An during the flood season.
