Hanoi Residents Adapt to Flooded Streets Amidst Heavy Rainfall

Continuous heavy rains from the night of September 16 to the morning of September 17 have caused severe flooding in many central streets of Hanoi, with depths reaching 40-50 cm, and nearly a meter in some suburban areas. Rainfall stations recorded over 150 mm on this day alone. In the Tây Mỗ ward of Đường 70, traffic was paralyzed. A young man used a boat to ferry people across approximately 500 meters of flooded road, earning 50,000 VND. The Hanoi Department of Construction explained that the flooding was primarily due to widespread and prolonged rain since September 14. The accumulated rainfall exceeded 400 mm, and over 500 mm in some areas, leading to high water levels in the drainage system, canals, and reservoirs, thus reducing their storage and regulation capacity. Many schools announced closures or a shift to online learning for students. Some parents brought their children to school before receiving the notification. Ms. Ngô Lệ Hằng, who brought her 2-year-old son to school, said he had wanted to go since 7 AM, adding, "He even enjoyed wading through the water with his mother." Residents of the capital are becoming accustomed to flooding in certain areas due to prolonged heavy rains, with daily life continuing as usual. On Mỹ Đình street, a delivery man navigated through knee-deep water on his motorbike. On Mỹ Đình street, water also flowed into houses, with residents using wooden planks to block the ingress. On Mỹ Đình street, a man was seen bailing water with a bucket, despite having erected a wooden barrier about 70 cm high. In alley 39 of Tứ Liên, hundreds of households were flooded, with some areas reaching depths of 1.2 meters. Many families could not go out to buy food and had to rely on neighbors for provisions. Some households erected water barriers, but they could not prevent the water from entering. Vehicles could not be moved to higher ground and were submerged. Many households lost electricity and were forced to evacuate children and grandchildren from their flooded homes. By noon on September 17, the water receded slowly, with many areas still deeply inundated. Thirty-six pumping stations were operating at full capacity to lower the surface water level in the city center. The Hanoi Drainage Company reported that 25 flooded locations remain under its management, concentrated in the Nhuệ River and Tô Lịch River basins. Source: VnExpress