If floodwaters exceed 30cm, Hanoi’s Department of Construction will implement road closures and reroute traffic as necessary.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, this morning (October 6), after moving inland over Guangxi province in China, Typhoon Matmo (Storm No. 11) weakened into a tropical depression. In Hanoi, residents are advised to prepare for thunderstorms, whirlwinds, and strong gusts. From now until the end of tomorrow, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected, with amounts ranging from 50–100mm and some areas possibly exceeding 150mm.

To proactively respond to the impact of Typhoon Matmo, the Hanoi Department of Construction has developed a contingency plan for various storm and flood scenarios that could affect the city.

The response plan is categorized into four levels, based on the depth of flooding, ranging from under 10cm to over 30cm, each with corresponding mitigation measures.

In areas with water levels between 20–30cm, authorities will provide regular updates on flooding depth and traffic congestion through mass media to promptly warn the public. Flood warning signs will be placed at both ends of the affected zones, clearly indicating the deepest water level on the road surface. Road maintenance contractors will also station personnel on-site to guide and direct traffic.

For locations with water levels exceeding 30cm, in addition to the aforementioned measures, the relevant departments will report to the Department of Construction to issue road closures and announce traffic rerouting if needed. Simultaneously, barriers, flood warning signs indicating the maximum water depth, no-entry signs, and directional signs will be installed at both ends of the flooded roads.

The Department of Construction has also outlined three specific storm and rainfall scenarios:

In the first scenario, with rainfall below 100mm per day, 11 flooded locations are anticipated, including 7 areas submerged between 20–30cm.

In the second scenario, with rainfall exceeding 100mm per day, up to 30 flooded locations may appear, including 7 with water levels between 20–30cm.

In the third and most extreme scenario, with rainfall exceeding 300mm per day, up to 177 flood points could occur citywide, with 46 of them seeing water levels deeper than 30cm. Some areas could reach depths of up to 1 meter.

N. Huyen