HCM city has spent big money to fight flooding

However, the flood control results have not been commensurate with the effort and money spent.

Vu Hai, former deputy chair of the HCM City Water and the Environment Association, said the situation worsens year after year, and new flood spots appear every year. 

This is because the anti-flood solutions and projects were implemented without thorough consideration. 

A research project by the HCM City National University on the impact of floods and high tides on local residents in district 7 found that damage is worth VND13 million to households, VND13.4 million to petty merchants and VND24 million to businesses.

Money must be spent on repairing house floors and walls, furniture, electrical equipment, and dredging drainage systems.

Businesses and organizations have to pay for interruption of production (four days a year on average) and equipment breakdown. 

Depending on the flood levels (10cm-1m), business households, enterprises and individuals also suffer from traffic jams and temporary work leave, worth up to VND10-90 billion.

Le Anh Tuan from the HCM City Steering Center of the Anti-flood Program said the city is stepping up the implementation of the project on Tham Luong – Ben Cat and Nuoc Len canals, with total length of 32 kilometers, to facilitate drainage and serve urban refurbishment of an area of 14,500 hectares. 

Under the program, the 8.2 kilometer Xuyen Tam canal will also be improved to bring benefits to an area of 703 hectares. 

It is expected that by the time the projects become operational, slated for 2020, the flooding in the central area of the city and part of five peripheral basins (550 square kilometers) with 6.5 million people will be settled.

However, the leaders of the center admitted that the project on building seven waste water treatment plants may not be fulfilled as expected.

According to environmental experts, construction works are not enough to stop floods in HCM City. Hai said solutions are needed to fight floods caused by high tides and rains, and to treat waste water.

To deal with high tides, he suggested building new-generation smart impoundment at the Soai Rap estuary. To fight against rains, data about rainfall must be updated. Figures that are 20 years old have become outdated in the context of climate change.

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Mai Chi