Hanoi needs flexible approach to flooding: Mayor

Thirty locations in Hanoi are prone to flooding during heavy rains, disrupting residents' daily lives and causing traffic congestion. To solve both short-term and long-term drainage problems, city authorities are required to adopt a flexible strategy.

Hanoi Party Secretary Bui Thi Minh Hoai (3rd from right) and Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Tran Sy Thanh (2nd from right) check on flood prevention. Photo: Viet Thanh

Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh made the statement at an emergency meeting held this week in the face of severe flooding in some suburban districts.

The mayor called for the establishment of a steering committee to coordinate work between city departments and the three districts of Chuong My, Quoc Oai and Thach That in a timely and proactive manner.

To track the progress of the floods, Thanh has asked districts to draw up detailed anti-flood plans and submit daily reports to the Standing Committee by 4pm.

"This will also help prevent late, false and incorrect information about the flood situation from causing confusion among people in the affected areas," Thanh said.

Some suburban areas experienced flooding and localized traffic congestion due to heavy rains on July 30. Some tunnels and parts of Thang Long Boulevard remained under water. As of yesterday afternoon, suburban villages located about 20-30 km from Hanoi, such as Can Huu Commune, Quoc Oai District, and some hamlets in Nam Phuong Tien and Tan Tien communes, Chuong My District, are still submerged.

"Hanoi authorities evacuated 700 families from inundated homes as heavy rains caused massive flooding," the mayor said.

The Meteorological and Hydrological Station for the Red River Delta and Northern Midlands reported that water levels in the Bui and Tich rivers, which flow through districts such as Chuong My, My Duc, Thach That, and Quoc Oai, have at times exceeded the third warning level.

Hanoi Party Secretary Bui Thi Minh Hoai and Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh inspected flood prevention measures at the Bui River embankment in Tan Tien Commune and other submerged areas in Chuong My District yesterday afternoon. 

Hanoi youth clean up the street after severe inundation in Chuong My District. Photo: Hanoimoi

Residents of Chuong My and Quoc Oai districts have been battling rising floodwaters since July 28. On July 23, storm Prapiroon made landfall, bringing torrential rains to Hanoi and the north.

In Chuong My district, more than 1,300 households are under 0.5-2 meters of water and more than 1,100 other families are stranded. Transportation and irrigation systems have also been severely damaged, with 5.5 km of dikes inundated, 37 meters eroded, and more than 160,000 meters of rural and rice field roads flooded.

By the end of July, more than 1,600 hectares of rice, vegetable and fruit trees were under water in Chuong My, and more than 1,100 hectares of aquaculture ponds were swept away. Nearly 1,900 animals and 180,000 poultry are at risk.

To respond to possible floods and ensure the safety of people's lives in the coming time, the Hanoi Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention, Control and Search and Rescue has asked units to closely monitor the weather and the development of natural disasters, and carry out timely and effective response work in accordance with the actual situation in the area.

It is necessary to disseminate instructions on how to respond to heavy rains, floods, landslides, and inundations through social networks so that people can take the initiative to prevent and minimize damage.

In addition, the NCHMF must regularly update the weather for the information of the authorities and the population.