At noon on September 11, when the first call from Bach Long Vi Island (Hai Phong) to VNPT Group's headquarters in Hanoi was connected, the emotions of the members of the VNPT rescue team were overwhelming. This was one of the "miracles" that the VNPT "wave-connectors" had achieved when they, along with the North, struggled to cope with super typhoon Yagi.

Mission to connect information for outpost island districts

As soon as information about storm No. 3 (Yagi storm) was first reported, VNPT Group directed VNPT Hai Phong to deploy measures to prepare, prevent and respond to the storm quickly and promptly. Despite careful preparation, the entire communication and telecommunications system on the island was quickly paralyzed by the destructive power of the strongest storm in the past 30 years. The storm and its circulation knocked out almost all 2G/3G/4G antennas and satellite antennas of network operators, the station roofs were blown off, collapsed... Bach Long Vi completely lost connection with the mainland.

As an outpost island district, playing a particularly important role in Vietnam's economic development strategy and maritime security and defense, ensuring communication for the government and people on Bach Long Vi Island has become more urgent than ever. In that context, VNPT immediately provided specialized satellite phones to the district leaders, serving the connection and information exchange with the leaders of Hai Phong city.

As soon as the storm ended, despite the heavy rain, the rescue team of two units of VNPT Group, VNPT Net and VNPT Hai Phong, boarded the first ship with the city's forces to restore communications to the island. Arriving on the island in heavy rain and big waves, they had to carry a lot of equipment, supplies, and bulky machinery, and the road to the repair points was also extremely difficult.

The information isolation makes the workload more and more difficult. When wanting to exchange a small piece of information between the computer room and the brothers on the transmission tower, they have to climb up a hill. Not to mention the darkness, power outages, climbing up transmission towers tens of meters high, carrying repair equipment on their backs makes the work even more dangerous.

Mr. Nguyen Hong Nam, a member of the rescue team, recounted: “It was still raining and the sea was rough, we followed the Hoa Phuong Do ship to the island. We docked at dusk, and it was already late at night when we carried the equipment from the dock to the station. We still did a quick survey to plan for the next day to carry out the rescue as quickly as possible. The indoor equipment was flooded, the outdoor equipment was completely broken. We had to install the outdoor equipment on high poles and the satellite VSAT station in the midst of the pouring rain and wind, dry the indoor equipment, measure and test the cables, etc.”

Mr. Le Duc Thang, an employee of Telecommunication Center I (VNPT Hai Phong), a member of the rescue team, recalled: “Working in a state of erratic rain and wind, fallen trees, slippery and flooded roads, and roofs of houses flying everywhere, was both difficult and dangerous. We had to work every minute. When the rain and wind were too strong, we would stop, run into the station house to take shelter, and when the rain stopped a bit, we would climb up the pole to fix it. At that time, no one thought much, just tried to finish as quickly as possible.”

Private feelings in common waves

Overcoming the storm, after nearly 20 hours of almost forgetting to eat and sleep, the efforts of the rescue team paid off. By noon on September 11, the public telecommunications network, VinaPhone signal at Bach Long Vi was restored in the joy and excitement of the authorities and people on the island. At this time, Mr. Le Duc Thang and his colleagues in the rescue team were temporarily able to lie down on a mat on the rough brick floor of the VNPT Telecommunications Station on the island to regain their strength, to soon return to the mainland, to continue participating in the rescue in Hai Phong and other provinces and cities.

Recalling the moment when VinaPhone signal was connected from the island to the mainland, Mr. Thang could not help but be moved: “With signal, not only was the island connected to the mainland, but we were also connected to our families to hear the first news from home after several days of fierce storms”. Accordingly, all members of the rescue team left home before the storm started. They went to rescue many places, but at home, parents, wives and children had to fend off the storm themselves. Some houses had their roofs blown off, some were flooded, electricity and water were cut off… When they arrived on the island, they could not connect to their families, so everyone was extremely worried.

“Understanding the situation and general psychology of the islanders when they cannot connect with each other, cannot connect with family and relatives on the mainland; everyone tried their best to complete the work soon, connect the signal for the people, for the government and also to connect for themselves. When the system was restored, VinaPhone signal was working again, the emotions of the brothers also burst out,” said Mr. Thang.

It can be said that the early restoration of public telecommunications services on Bach Long Vi outpost island is just one of the countless stories in the chaotic days after the storm. Wherever the “VNPT blue shirt” is present, there are revived communication lines, to help the government and people rebuild infrastructure and stabilize life after the devastation of natural disasters.

THU QUYNH