Head of Hanoi's Transport Police Department, Dao Vinh Thang has addressed why Hanoi has suffered appalling traffic congestion during peak hours, especially when it rains.

Dao Vinh Thang

Heavy rain has continuously caused traffic chaos, including on the morning of September 8. Streets were left under 30 to 50cm of water. Even though the police were mobilised at key sections, congestion were severe.

"People tried to find other routes when their usual roads were jammed but the city can’t cope with levels of traffic that are five to six times their normal capacity so it became unbearable. On-going construction has become a huge obstacle during this time," said Thang.

Thang went on to say that drivers should be patient and try not to overtake on crowded streets.

He said, "Definitely follow the police's instructions and don't use wrong lanes. This will just cause more congestion."

During the last months of the year more cars are traditionally sold and traffic is predicted to worsen with several major events planned.

To deal with the problem, Thang promised police would increase their patrols and implement stricter punishments for drivers that breached traffic regulations.