VietNamNet Bridge - Many areas described as the city’s ‘flooded hubs’ in the past have become dry while areas which never suffered from flooding in the past have become hotspots for floods.

Do Tan Long, head of the Water Drainage Management Division under the HCMC Anti-flood Program, said there were fewer points inundated after this year’s early rains compared with the same rainfall in previous years.

However, he warned that the impact of climate change was unpredictable, while scientists have warned that there would be rainfall of over 100 mm. The possibility of causing floods is erratic.

The rain on May 30 with rainfall of 132 mm, for example, caused inundation in 27 points in the city. It is more difficult to predict the level of floods and the number of inundated points due to climate change.

Many areas described as the city’s ‘flooded hubs’ in the past have become dry while areas which never suffered from flooding in the past have become hotspots for floods.

In 2008, HCMC was reported as having 126 inundated points, including 85 in the central area. Floods occurred 873 times in the year and lasted an average of 156 minutes. The average inundated area at each point was 2,910 square meters.

In 2013, HCMC reported inundation in 40 places, including 14 in the central area. The other figures were 44 times, 62 minutes and 1,100 square meters.

HCMC has witnessed 11 heavy rains so far this year, which caused floods on 16 roads of the city. The central area has basically escaped from inundation, while floods still occurred on some roads such as Nguyen Xi, Ha Noi, Nguyen Huu Canh, Quoc Huong and Kinh Duong Vuong. 

A report released in late 2015 showed that 26 percent of the population in HCMC is affected by urban flooding, while the figure may reach 62 percent in the future. The floods cause a loss of trillions of dong every year.

On June 26, HCMC authorities kicked off the project to settle floods caused by high tides and climate change.

The project, described as a ‘super project’ with huge capital of VND10 trillion aims to control the high tides and improve the capability of coping with climate change for the 570 square kilometer area. It is expected that the project, with six high tide control sluices, would benefit 6.5 million people on the left side of the Sai Gon River and the central area of HCMC.

It would also allow adjusting of the water level in canals to improve urban water drainage projects and help store rainwater during high tides. 

It would also help prevent landslides on the riverbank and improve the landscape.


TBKTSG