High water levels during the flood season have divided many areas of the Mekong delta province of Long An. Many routes have been submerged, making it hard for children to get to school. For almost two months now, local children have had to wake up early and travel to school by boat.

At 6am, these pupils and their parents climb aboard motorboats in front of their houses to travel to school. The small boats run through the middle of a flooded field, where it is impossible to make out the edges. The path to school contains many risks for pupils and their parents. Vinh Dai is one of the lowest-lying localities in the Dong Thap Muoi wetlands of the Mekong Delta. Over the past few days, floods have continuously increased, inundating not only roads, but schoolyards too. Although sandbags have been placed along school playgrounds to create a pathway for pupils, it is not entirely safe with children often falling down in the surrounding waters. It is not only Vinh Dai, but many other localities in Long An province that have also been going through similar disruptions. Across the locality, there are still many sites where there are no bridges over canals and boats are the main means of transport. As flood waters have risen, children’s lives have been put at risk and consequently, greater attention should be paid to ensure safety for them. –VNA