For safety reasons, major hydroelectric power plants are opening their flood gates from reservoirs, discharging large volumes of water to downstream areas.
At 7a.m. on September 10, the water level of the Red River in Hanoi was 9.02m, 0.48m below the flood alert level 1 out of the three alert levels. It is expected to continue rising rapidly and reach the alert level 1 within the next 12 hours and the alert level 2 in the coming 12-24 hours.
Meanwhile, prolonged heavy rain has dumped large amounts of water on northern localities, including Hanoi, for the past few days, and meteorologists have warned heavy downpours will continue to batter the region in the coming days.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has reported that Hanoi’s urban and surrounding areas will continue to experience heavy rainfall in the next 3 to 6 hours, with precipitation ranging from 20 to 50 mm, and even 70mm in some places.
This rainfall is likely to cause widespread flooding, significantly impacting many central streets in Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Thanh Xuan, Hai Ba Trung, Cau Giay, Hoang Mai, Nam Tu Liem and Ha Dong districts.
The Hanoi administration has requested agencies and sectors to closely monitor weather forecast bulletins and put response plans in place, including evacuation plans, especially in flood-prone areas such as riverbank and low-lying areas.
The city has decided to reduce the traffic flow across the Chuong Duong Bridge spanning the Red River, by restricting heavy trucks to crossing the bridge.
The Vietnam Railways Corporation has also decided to suspend trains from running across the Long Bien Bridge, the centenary ailing steel structure spanning the Red River, for safety reasons.
