While the authorities forecast that only 21 places in Hanoi will suffer from flooding, Hanoians continue to worry that even modest amounts of rain would flood the city.

Roads transformed into rivers due to hard rain

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) anticipates a stormy and unpredictable monsoon season. Rainfall will be concentrated in some localities, and it is possible that both HCM City and Hanoi will suffer severe storms and rain.

According to the local experts, Hanoi will remain flood free if less than 50 millimetres of rain falls, but if storms top 100 millimetres, 21 key spots will be flooded.

However, even the slight rain experienced on April 7 left many roads flooded.

In the conference on anti-flood operations held in Hanoi, the municipal Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control reported that they have co-operated with concerned agencies and district authorities to inspect and assess the state of inner city dikes, dams, irrigation works, and drainage before May 15.

Office Manager of the municipal Committee for Flood and Storm Prevention and Control, Do Duc Thinh reported that Hanoi’s inner drainage system would reach a capacity of 3.7 million cubic metre per hour this year, a 1.2 fold increase compared to 2011.

An official of the city’s Department of Construction reported that their project to maintain and improve the drainage systems in some areas of central Hanoi were basically finished, with lakes and drainage canals being dredged, and facilities equipped to solve potential flooding on Ba Trieu Street, Huynh Thuc Khang, Ngoc Hoi, Tran Huy Lieu Street. 56 inner city lakes have been dredged and 93 drainage works have been repaired and improved this rainy season, which will raise the efficiency of the city’s drainage system.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, Nguyen The Thao required concerned agencies to co-ordinate more effectively. Chairmen of district’s people’s committees will have to be responsible to the Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee for problems concerning flood and storm control and prevention occurring in areas under their management.