Hanoi's Long Bien Area Submerged by Heavy Rain During Rush Hour, Causing Severe Traffic Chaos

A severe downpour on the evening of July 31 caused widespread flooding in the Long Bien district of Hanoi, particularly around Aeon Mall. The timing coincided with rush hour, leading to significant traffic congestion and disrupting daily life for residents. According to data from automatic rain gauges, by 6:20 PM on the same day, Long Bien (Thach Ban) recorded 115.2mm of rainfall, Gia Lam recorded 71.8mm, Phuc Loi (449B Nguyen Van Linh) recorded 70.5mm, and Vinh Tuy recorded 65.8mm. The area around the Co Linh overpass (in front of Aeon Mall Long Bien) experienced deep flooding, making vehicle movement difficult. On Vinh Tuy Bridge, traffic congestion extended from Minh Khai Street and Times City urban area towards Long Bien, due to heavy rain and flooding after rush hour. Reporters observed long queues of cars and motorbikes struggling to move, causing severe traffic jams. Meteorological authorities indicated that convective clouds were developing, bringing showers and thunderstorms to various areas of Hanoi. This rain was gradually moving towards the city center. In recent years, Vietnam has experienced frequent flooding incidents due to heavy rainfall in areas where infrastructure development has not kept pace with urbanization. This event highlights the broader challenges Vietnam faces in adapting to climate change and pursuing sustainable urban development, even as it continues its rapid economic growth.