HCMC is struggling with worsening flood issues despite huge spending on anti-flood projects over the years, said a recent conclusion signed by chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong on illegal land reclamation on the city’s drainage systems.  

A lot of streets in the city are submerged after heavy rain. Therefore, the city will need VND97.3 trillion US$4.36 billion) to tackle flooding in 2016-2020, according to the HCMC Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program and the city’s Department of Planning and Investment.

Many projects worth a combined VND23 trillion are underway and the city will have to mobilize some VND74.35 trillion in the next five years to fund these projects.

Surveys conducted by districts showed that many canals and sewers have been clogged by construction works and garbage.

The steering center said as many as 59 construction works have encroached on many sewers and canals have been obstructed by illegal land reclamation.

Statistics of the municipal Department of Transport indicated that the city has 2,953 canals stretching 4,368 kilometers. Of them, 849 canals with 1,094 kilometers in length are to serve urban drainage and the remainder are used for irrigation and waterway transport.

The city has yet to cope with 130 river and canal reclamation cases.

The city government has told districts and relevant departments and agencies to take prompt action to deal with these reclamation cases to reduce flooding in Tan Son Nhat airport area and many other parts of the city.

The steering center has been assigned to put an embankment project on the left side of the Saigon River in District 2 on fast track so that sewers, floodgates and pumping stations will be constructed in March next year.

The transport department will work on a master zoning plan for Thao Dien area in District 2 so that relevant agencies will find ways to combat floods, reduce traffic congestion and improve the cityscape.

Earlier, the authority of District 2 proposed the upgrade and expansion of Xuan Thuy and Quoc Huong streets in Thao Dien area as the two roads are often inundated by rains and flood tides.

At present, the city government is executing a plan to increase greenery and open space in low-lying districts to absorb water, ease flooding and reduce negative impact of climate change there.

SGT