Can Tho Flooded by High Tides, Markets Empty, Affecting Daily Life

In Can Tho City, southern Vietnam, high tides on the afternoon of September 12 led to water levels on the Hau River reaching 2.13 meters, exceeding the alarm level by 13 cm. This surge caused widespread flooding in many areas of Binh Thuy district, with roads inundated by 40-60 cm. Shops remained deserted, and residents struggled with water damage to their homes. The Binh Thuy market, usually bustling with shoppers, has been deeply submerged each time the tide rises over the past three days, leading to a sharp decline in customers and halting business operations for small traders. Mr. Nguyen Van Gon, 51, who has sold fruit at the market for over 20 years, stated that his daily revenue, which typically exceeds VND 1 million, drops to VND 200,000-300,000 during flood periods. Ms. Thach Thi Ngac, 56, who sells lottery tickets on Bui Huu Nghia Street, reported that her daily sales have fallen from 200-300 tickets to about 100 tickets due to the difficulty of movement during high tides. These tidal surges typically last 4-5 days, forcing residents to reinforce their homes with sandbags and stones to prevent water from entering. Mr. Nguyen Hai Son, 67, uses oil to seal the gaps between wooden planks placed in front of his door to limit water intrusion into his home. He noted that his neighborhood experiences multiple high tides annually, prompting many households to build barriers or elevate their doorways to combat flooding. In a 20-square-meter house in an alley on Bui Huu Nghia Street, water reached waist-high for Ms. Tran Ngoc Thuy, 72. Ms. Thuy mentioned that her family always keeps sandbags and stones ready to block the entrance, preventing water from flooding their cooking area and sleeping quarters. Her grandson, who has mobility issues due to a past accident, is particularly affected. Water marks on an electricity pole on Bui Huu Nghia Street indicate that the tide reached about half a meter at its peak. The Binh Thuy ancient house, a famous tourist attraction in Can Tho with over 150 years of history, was also submerged about 40-60 cm deep. The site management has reinforced the embankment by 30 cm and deployed high-capacity pumps to drain the water. Mr. Duong Nhat Luan, the house's manager, stated that flooding due to heavy rain and high tides has become increasingly severe over the past decade and expressed hope that the local authorities would soon build dikes and upgrade roads to mitigate the impact on residents' lives and businesses. A parent pushes a motorcycle that stalled after passing through a flooded section of Bui Huu Nghia Street. Bui Huu Nghia Street saw little pedestrian traffic as the high tide surged, with many sections experiencing deep flooding. According to the Can Tho City Hydrometeorological Station, water levels are expected to continue exceeding the alarm level on the afternoon of September 12 and throughout September 13. Severe flooding is concentrated in Binh Thuy ward, with potential inundation in low-lying areas outside the dikes in Dai Ngai and Tran De communes along the Hau River, Vi Thanh and Vi Tan wards along the Xa No canal, and Nga Bay ward along the Cai Con canal.