Hanoi Outskirts Flooded, Thousands Displaced as Bui River Swells

Low-lying areas in Hanoi's outskirts are facing severe flooding due to rising waters of the Bui River. In the communes of Xuan Mai and Tran Phu, thousands of homes and numerous roads have been inundated, forcing residents to evacuate their belongings. On the afternoon of September 18, residential areas in Nam Phuong and Tan Tien, Xuan Mai city, experienced flooding, with depths reaching nearly 2 meters in some places. Hundreds of houses had water more than a meter high. The water first flooded farmlands before gradually spreading to residential areas. The water level at Yen Duyet on the Bui River reached 7.81 meters at 7 PM, exceeding alarm level three by 0.81 meters. This level has continued to rise by over 30 cm from the previous day and shows no sign of stabilizing. In the flooded districts, residents are using boats to travel from submerged roads to main thoroughfares for work and daily life. This heavy rain and flood event has affected over 3,000 houses in areas including Xuan Mai, Quang Bi, Tran Phu, and Kieu Phu communes in Hanoi. Residents have expressed concerns about evacuating livestock and the potential damage to raw materials and finished products for their handicraft businesses. Families, including the elderly and children, have been evacuated for safety, and challenges in securing clean water and other daily necessities are significant. The city authorities, in coordination with the military and local government, have mobilized over 2,290 personnel and 87 vehicles to support residents and carry out emergency repairs to embankments. Approximately 3 kilometers away, the Tich River has also risen, causing the sole road into Voi hamlet, Can Ha village, Kieu Phu commune, to be submerged by nearly a meter, affecting several houses. According to city officials, the flood has impacted about 19 kilometers of roads and 7.4 kilometers of dikes and embankments. Rice fields, vegetable gardens, and other crops covering 3,641 hectares have been flooded and damaged. Additionally, 40 hectares of aquaculture farms and seven educational institutions have been affected.