VIETNAM. Quang Tri province. Hai Lang district. The central coastal province of Quang Tri is one of the most vulnerable to flooding in the whole of Vietnam, and Hai Lang district is the most vulnerable within the province. Climate change will bring an increased risk of disaster to Vietnam. Oxfam works in Hai Lang district, helping to train villagers to prepare for floods and storms, and how to adapt to changes.
Nguyen Gia Khai (60) and his wife Nguyen Thi Thom (58) in front of their wedding bed in Hai Hoa commune.
Khai: "We have nothing of any value any more - it has all gone, or we have sold it. Though we still have our wedding bed - I had it repainted recently. We bought it on our wedding day in 1973. We organised a huge party for 300 or 400 guests. It was a happy day - we gave flowers and wedding rings to each other. Now, when the flood comes, we float the bed in the garden and tie it to a tree to protect it. It's survived 35 years, with 7 or 8 floods a year."
Thom: ""When the flood comes we feel very frightened. We are sleepless all night, and my heart seems to jump straight out of my chest. The rain is very heavy, the wind is so strong. The flood can sweep people away."
2009.