How Tan Hoa Lives Through the Floods
This remote village in central Vietnam survives natural disasters year after year
The story of the floating houses
Tan Hoa is a remote village in the Central Vietnam, which is located around 70km away from the ‘Adventure capital of Asia’, the Phong Nha – Ke Bang National Park, and is home to one of the most amazing cave systems in the world that attracts explorers from all over the world. Back in 2014, Tan Hoa was just a remote village in a deprived region of Central Vietnam. It was also a majorly flood prone area that suffered natural disasters year after year.
The marker shows the chronicle of flood at 9.57 meter high in 2007 by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
The marker shows the chronicle of flood at 9.57 meter high in 2007. Historical floods that shook the country have always been a nightmare for the local people here; they drowned out houses, swept away all the fields, crops and everything that the locals ever owned.
Public shelter for Tan Hoa people before the existence of floating houses by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
This house was used as a common shelter for the villagers before the construction of floating houses. It was located on the mountain about 20 meters off the ground.
Floating house for flooding season by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Oxalis Adventure, an adventure tour operator based in Phong Nha - Ke Bang, came up with the idea of building small houses that would help the Tan Hoa locals protect themselves and their belongings in the event of a harsh flood. These small houses offer comfortable shelter and are often built next to or relatively close to the locals’ individual houses for convenience, as at the time flooding, time plays a very crucial role.
Oxalis Adventure sends the designs of the houses to the machinists and helps them in discerning the size required. In terms of building materials; Oxalis uses inox for frame and heat insulation tole for covers and roofs.
Floating platform is made from metal barrels by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Empty barrels are ordered from Ba Don or Dong Hoi and are properly attached underneath the house to allow floatation in the event of a flood. The house also has two poles set on both sides, which keep it in place during the shake and break that a flood may cause
Floating houses located next to the regular houses by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Out of flooding season, floating house, next to ordinary house, is used as storage
Tan Hoa floating house by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
When flooding season is coming close, people move stuff into the floating house
Typical ordinary house together with floating house in Tan Hoa Commune by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Typical ordinary house together with floating house in Tan Hoa Commune
Cattle barns in Tan Hoa by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Animals also have their own house located in higher area, at the foot of the mountain
Cattle barns in Tan Hoa, Quang Binh by Tran Tuan VietQuang Binh Tourism Department
Having a specialized common area to house farm animals is also a unique feature of the Tan Hoa Commune.
Photography: Tran Tuan Viet
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