Stunned by a flooded city

Barbara, a tourist currently traveling across Asia with her Venezuelan husband (both living in the UK), shared her experience. Vietnam is the 31st country on their journey.

On their second day in Hanoi, they experienced a heavy overnight rain. By 9 a.m. on August 26, when they stepped out of their hotel in Hoan Kiem Ward, they were shocked to find the entire neighborhood submerged in water. They couldn’t even cross the street to reach the nearby super - .

“This is the first time in my life I’ve seen such severe flooding. We had to cancel all plans for the day,” Barbara said.

Earlier that morning, Typhoon No. 5 had weakened into a tropical depression over Laos, but its circulation continued to cause widespread rain across northern Vietnam. Hanoi was severely affected.

“Fortunately, the rain stopped after two hours, and the floodwater receded quickly. We plan to stay in Hanoi longer and work remotely, so a day or two of rain isn’t a big concern. But short-stay tourists may feel disappointed,” Barbara added.

She constantly recorded videos and posted weather updates for friends and followers on social media.

“Many tourists are excited to visit Hanoi during these days, leading up to Vietnam’s National Day. We just arrived and are already enchanted by the city’s vibrant atmosphere.

We’ve seen military parades rehearsing, explored the Old Quarter, watched water puppet shows. Everyone on the streets is cheerful, wearing traditional costumes and waving Vietnamese flags,” Barbara shared.

Touched by Vietnamese hospitality

Alice Mason, a 37-year-old British tourist, had been in Hanoi for several weeks. “I’ve never seen flooding like this in any of my global travels,” she said, calling it a uniquely strange day in Hanoi.

On the morning of August 26, she still went cycling to meet a friend despite the rain, which became increasingly heavy and made movement difficult. However, Alice was deeply moved by the kindness of local people amid the flood.

“A police officer stood in the pouring rain directing traffic to help everyone.

When people saw me cycling, they cleared space for me to store my bike and take shelter. After the rain stopped, my bike got stuck. A local woman came over and helped move the surrounding bikes so I could get out,” Alice recalled.

“Even in heavy rain and deep water, I felt deeply warm because of how kind the Vietnamese people were. They didn’t just help me – they helped each other,” she said.

During her stay in Hanoi, Alice was impressed by the patriotism and national pride of Vietnamese people. She’s looking forward to better weather so she can join the crowds for the National Day parade on September 2.

“I will definitely come back to Hanoi,” Alice affirmed.

Do An