Foreign Tourists Sip Beer in Floodwaters as Heavy Rain Swamps Ho Chi Minh City Center

Ho Chi Minh City's central districts are grappling with severe flooding as heavy rains persist for several days, inundating major thoroughfares. Le Loi Street, leading towards the Saigon Opera House, is submerged, causing significant traffic congestion. Local residents report that downtown areas frequently flood during prolonged heavy downpours. According to the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, total rainfall in Ho Chi Minh City from Wednesday through 1 p.m. on Friday is expected to reach 70-100 mm, exceeding 150 mm in some locations. Widespread rain is forecast to continue into the evening of September 23, following several heavy downpours since the start of the week. Water levels have risen nearly halfway up vehicle wheels on Pasteur Street at its intersection with Ton That Thiep Street, and on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street, hindering traffic movement. Tran Van Hung, deputy director of the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, stated that Ho Chi Minh City is in the midst of a five-day spell of widespread rain. On Monday and Tuesday, many areas recorded over 100 mm of rainfall, with Nha Be logging the highest at 249 mm. The prolonged rain is attributed to the intertropical convergence zone combined with a low-pressure area moving inland from the sea. Residents and tourists were observed wading through knee-deep floodwaters on Pasteur Street near Ton That Thiep, and on Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street. On Wednesday morning, a heavy downpour lasting about 30 minutes hit Binh Thanh District, Thu Duc City, and downtown Ho Chi Minh City. This deluge coincided with rush hour, causing considerable disruption for commuters and school children. Vehicle wheels were submerged on Bui Vien Street. Nearby, staff at a restaurant on De Tham Street, whose floor is nearly a meter below the road surface, had to pump out water once the rain eased. Ham Nghi Street is flooded along a stretch of about 300 meters, particularly at intersections and around bus shelters. In recent days, heavy rain has left many parts of Ho Chi Minh City under deep water, including the foot of Ba Son Bridge, Hanoi Highway, Thu Duc Market, and Nguyen Van Linh and Le Van Luong streets. In some areas, the water depth exceeded half a meter, stalling numerous vehicles. On some sloped sections, fast-flowing water knocked over motorbikes. Rain during the evening rush hour also caused two-hour traffic jams on many downtown streets and around the Hang Xanh roundabout.