Knee-deep water floods Hanoi streets during evening commute

Heavy rain flooded parts of Hanoi about 0.5 m deep on the evening of July 10, submerging bikes, stalling cars and snarling the rush-hour commute.

Water is more than 50 cm deep in places on Nguyen Huy Tuong Street in Thanh Xuan Ward at 5 p.m. This is one of Hanoi's familiar flooding spots during heavy rain.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, as of 5:45 p.m., satellite imagery, lightning-detection data and weather radar showed convective clouds developing and bringing rain to the wards of Yen Hoa, Gia Lam, Bat Trang, Thuong Cat, Dong Ngac, O Dien and Duong Noi, along with the communes of Hoai Duc, Son Dong and Hong Van, and were likely to spread to other parts of the city.

Cars inch bumper to bumper through the flooded stretch on Nguyen Huy Tuong Street.

The street runs two ways, but many drivers still lined up and crossed into the oncoming lane to skirt the flooding.

Many motorbikes were submerged above the middle of their wheels, forcing people to push them on foot for about 600 m to get through.

On Quan Nhan Street in Thanh Xuan Ward, water spread across the roadway for more than 100 m.

A small alley about one km long off Yen Xa Street in Thanh Liet Ward saw water rise 30 cm.

Dark clouds and rain had lingered over the area since 4:30 p.m.

With the drainage system overwhelmed, water surged up from the sewers onto the road, leaving this street in Thanh Liet Ward routinely flooded after every heavy downpour.

Standing outside a bakery on Trieu Khuc Street, Nguyen Van Van, a Thanh Liet Ward resident, said customer numbers drop sharply after each heavy rain. "This week alone, the street has flooded twice," he said.

Several vehicles stalled, and people took shelter in the lobby of a roadside apartment building.

Vu Trong Phung Street in Thanh Xuan Ward runs just over 400 m, but congestion dragged on as vehicles diverted from nearby roads to avoid the flooding. "It took me nearly 20 minutes to clear this stretch," said Nhung.

Nguyen Xien Street in Thanh Xuan Ward, heading into the city center, flooded at the ramp descending from the elevated road toward Nga Tu So.

Tran Quang Khai Street toward Chuong Duong Bridge in Hong Ha Ward was gridlocked, with the jam stretching more than 2 km.

Coinciding with rush hour, the heavy rain left traffic crawling along Nguyen Trai Street. By 6:50 p.m., the street was jammed at the section passing the Ring Road 2.5 construction site.

A long line of vehicles stretches over roughly 3 km from Nga Tu So to Ring Road 3.