Torrential downpour sinks downtown streets of Ho Chi Minh City

Several streets in the downtown area of Ho Chi Minh City were submerged by floodwaters following a 30-minute downpour combined with high tides on Sunday afternoon.

As witnessed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondents, the intersection between Nguyen Cong Tru Street and Calmette Street in District 1 was severely inundated, with rainwater spreading as far as 500 meters and reaching Le Thi Hong Gam Street.

At the Nguyen Thai Binh Street – Calmette Bridge junction, water levels were almost up to the hub of a motorbike’s wheel.

Residents along the flood-hit streets had to barricade their front doors against rising floodwaters that were splashed into their houses every time a car passed by.

The flooding was brought about by a heavy rain, which was in turn caused by a low-pressure area that has been active in southern Vietnam in the past few days, according to Le Dinh Quyet, deputy head of the forecasting department at the Southern Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

The northeast monsoon, rising tides, and a cold front pushing south have also worked in tandem with the low-pressure to intensify rains in southern localities.

In the next few days, the mentioned weather factors, coupled with a low-pressure zone in the southeastern part of the East Vietnam Sea, will enkindle more rainfall in south-central provinces.

Meanwhile, on Monday, the northeast monsoon will be superseded by southwest wind, which brings chances of rain and thunderstorms.