Locals have to travel on boats

Meanwhile, the water drainage system is getting overloaded because rapid urban development has moved beyond the development program targets toward 2030.

The continued rains have put many areas of Hanoi under water. Traffic in the areas has become paralyzed, locals have to travel on boats, and vehicles suffer from engine failures, while residents have to use unsafe water and struggle with the flood of garbage. 

The flooded spots can also be found in new urban areas, where infrastructure for water drainage must be designed methodically.

According to Dao Ngoc Nghiem, Vice Chair of Hanoi Urban Development Planning Association, the city’s water drainage system has been upgraded considerably in recent years, but still cannot catch up with rapid urbanization.

Meanwhile, the bare land areas, which could serve as places for water to absorb after rains, and water reservoirs have narrowed or been poured over with concrete.

The ‘hot spots’ in recent flood attacks are no longer in the inner districts of Dong Da, Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh, but in the districts of Ha Dong, Nam Tu Liem and the suburbs.

Pham Manh Hung from the Hanoi Construction Department explained that the areas beyond the To Lich River are not covered by the Hanoi water drainage project. 

In the past, the areas served water drainage in agricultural production. As the urbanization was too rapid, infrastructure could not satisfy the requirements.

The Voice of Vietnam has cited a report saying that the total water surface area in Hanoi, not including West Lake, has reduced by 50 percent in the last 10 years. 

Nguyen The Khai, an expert in urban development planning, commented that Hanoi has an overall development program by 2030, but the program has not been strictly observed. 

“The development program has been ignored and everyone does his own way,” Khai commented, adding that Hanoi authorities have to claim responsibility for this.

Hanoi has set up management units in charge of supervising and ensuring the implementation of the overall development program, but the units cannot fulfill their tasks.

Asked about solutions, Nghiem said it is necessary to use mobile equipment to settle floods in localities as a temporary solution, because the drainage system cannot be upgraded overnight.

In the long term, Nghiem said Hanoi needs to develop items for the drainage system, because the rainfall in Hanoi has surpassed estimates. The central system needs to be well connected with residential quarters and small drainage systems.

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Mai Chi