If sea level rises 100 centimeters by 2100, 17.8 percent area of HCMC will be flooded, says the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment quoting climate change and sea level rise scenario issued last year.

Nguyen Huu Canh street, Binh Thanh district was heavily flooded during a heavy rain in October last year

Of these, 80.78 percent area of Binh Thanh district, 36.43 percent of Binh Chanh district and 8.72 percent of Can Gio district will be inundated.

HCMC is one of 10 cities in the world heavily threatened by climate change, the agency said.

The highest sea level rise at Phu An station in the Saigon River reached 1.7 meters in 2013 and 2014.

In addition, HCMC has faced erratic weather condition. For instance, the drought in 2015 and early 2016 greatly affected water supply or the record heavy rain in September last year with precipitation of 204.3mm caused flooding over a large scale in the city.

Statistics show that precipitation has been on the rise. It increases 11mm a year in Can Gio district and 1.63mm a year in Cu Chi district.  

SGGP