The Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center forecasts Ho Chi Minh City will receive 70-100 mm of rain, with some areas exceeding 150 mm, from now until 13:00 on 25/9. Widespread rain is expected to resume this evening, following several heavy downpours since early this week.

According to Tran Van Hung, Deputy Director of the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, the city is experiencing a five-day period of widespread rain. On 21-22/9, many locations recorded over 100 mm of rainfall, with Nha Be district receiving the highest at 249 mm.

The prolonged rainfall is attributed to the influence of a tropical convergence zone combined with a low-pressure vortex moving inland from the sea. On the morning of 23/9, several districts, including Binh Thanh, Thu Duc, and central Ho Chi Minh City, experienced heavy rain for approximately 30 minutes. This rainfall occurred during peak commuting hours, making travel difficult for residents heading to work and school.

Ton Duc Thang street, at the foot of Ba Son bridge, was deeply flooded after prolonged heavy rain on the evening of 22/9. Photo: Dinh Van

Across the southern region, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting predicts 40-80 mm of rain, with some areas exceeding 150 mm, from early morning to night on 23/9. On 24/9, the region will continue to see 30-70 mm of rain, with some places receiving over 100 mm. The agency has issued a warning about the risk of intense, concentrated rainfall, potentially exceeding 100 mm within three hours.

By 25/9, rainfall in the southern region is forecast to decrease, with 10-30 mm generally expected, though some areas could still experience over 70 mm. The risk of natural disasters due to heavy rain, tornadoes, lightning, and hail is at level 1.

The extended period of rain coincides with the mid-August high tide. At the Thu Dau Mot station, water levels are forecast to exceed alert level 3 for four consecutive days, from 24-27/9. This combination of heavy rain and high tides significantly increases the risk of flooding in low-lying areas, impacting travel, particularly during the evening peak hours.

The meteorological agency warns that heavy rain could cause flooding in urban areas, industrial zones, and other low-lying regions. Additionally, there is a risk of tornadoes, lightning, and strong gusts during thunderstorms.

In recent days, heavy rainfall has led to deep flooding on many roads and areas in Ho Chi Minh City, including the foot of Ba Son bridge, Ha Noi highway, Thu Duc market, Nguyen Van Linh street, and Le Van Luong street. Water levels in some locations rose to over half a meter, causing numerous vehicles to stall. On certain slopes, strong currents swept motorbikes, making movement difficult for residents.

Rain coinciding with evening rush hour also resulted in two-hour traffic jams on many central city roads and around the Hang Xanh roundabout.

Dinh Van