As the water level of the Saigon River is running high, the HCMC government has asked management companies of upstream reservoirs to regulate water release to avoid damaging downstream areas.

The Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment of Southern Region said the tidal peak at Phu An Station on the Saigon River would reach around 1.5 meters above the third-alarm level last night.

Due to heavy rain, water volumes flowing into upstream irrigation and hydropower reservoirs are rising to high levels.

Reservoirs in upstream areas now are discharging water, with water volume of Tri An and Dau Tieng reservoirs measured at a combined 2,198 cubic meters of water per second. Tri An reservoir alone is releasing 2,148 cubic meters of water a second.

The municipal authorities on Monday requested companies in charge of Dau Tieng-Phuoc Hoa, Thac Mo, Can Don, Srok Phu Mieng and Tri An reservoirs to report on the situation of discharging water downstream in a timely manner.

The government also told these firms to adjust water release in a reasonable way to minimize damage in the context of tidal water in downstream regions almost exceeding the third-alarm level.

The authorities of districts in the city are urgently reviewing those areas that might be impacted by tidal water and water release. They have also identified safe shelters to make proactive measures in relocating residents when natural disasters occur.

Do Tan Long, director of the Drainage Department of the city’s Center for Flood Fighting Programs, said heavy rain plus tidal water and water release of reservoirs caused serious flooding at 16 locations in the locality on Wednesday.

Among these sites, the most severe floods occurred in areas such as Bau Cat in Tan Binh District, Nguyen Xi and No Trang Long streets in Binh Thanh District, and Thao Dien and Luong Dinh Cua streets in District 2.

SGT