A 59-year-old man died instantly and his 57-year-old wife was injured on the evening of 18/9 in Ho Chi Minh City when a large tree branch, snapped by a thunderstorm, fell onto their motorcycle. The tragic incident occurred around 6:30 h on An Duong Vuong street, in front of the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, Cho Quan ward, in what was formerly District 5.

The couple was traveling on An Duong Vuong street, heading from the Ngo Quyen intersection towards Hong Bang, when the branch unexpectedly broke. Both were thrown from their motorcycle. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, while his wife sustained injuries and was rushed to An Binh Hospital for emergency treatment.

The fallen branch, approximately 30 cm in diameter, lay across their motorcycle, its canopy covering nearly one lane of the road. At the time of the accident, the area experienced heavy rain, thunderstorms, and strong winds.

Nguyen Vo Xuan Ky, Chairman of Cho Quan Ward People's Committee, stated that the wife suffered a spinal injury and other wounds. She was later transferred to Cho Ray Hospital for ongoing treatment. The couple was returning home from work when the accident happened.

Ward authorities visited the hospital to offer condolences and support to the victim and her family. Ky also announced that the ward would request the tree management unit to inspect the tree system in the area to prevent similar incidents. Residents reported that a large branch from the same tree had previously broken and struck a bus.

Dinh Van