Waist-deep water swamps Ho Chi Minh City streets at evening rush hour

Prolonged heavy rain on Thursday afternoon left many Ho Chi Minh City streets flooded like rivers, traffic in disarray, vehicles stalled and residents wading through the water pushing their motorbikes. Heavy rain arriving right at rush hour left parts of eastern Ho Chi Minh City, including the former Districts 2 and Binh Thanh, deeply flooded. A passing car created a large wave that caused 24-year-old Ha My’s motorbike to tip over in floodwaters at the intersection of Do Xuan Hop Street and Street No. 9. Another woman pushes her stalled motorbike through water on Do Xuan Hop. Drainage workers clear a manhole cover to ease flooding on Do Xuan Hop Street. On Quoc Huong Street in the former District 2, home to a large expat community, heavy rain left half a meter of water and stalled many vehicles. Hang carries her child on her back through about 500 meters of floodwater on Quoc Huong Street on the way home from school. A delivery driver pushes through a flooded stretch to complete a drop-off. An Indian family wades through Quoc Huong floodwaters to get home. On Chu Van An Street in Binh Thanh, Dat clears trash, including large plastic bags, to prevent storm drains from clogging. "Many households leave Styrofoam boxes and other waste in front of their homes, and it all accumulates on the street. I have to take the trouble to clear it away so the drains can function," he said. In an alley off Chu Van An, water rose to nearly a meter and poured into a row of homes. Many households propped metal sheets and boards against their doors but still could not keep the water out. Nguyen Van Ti uses a pump to draw water out of his living room. He said Chu Van An Street was widened in work completed late last year, but the heavy rain still left the alley where his family lives deeply flooded. "I thought that after the road was upgraded, the drainage system would help reduce flooding in the alleys, but today the water still came into the house. It's very inconvenient," he said. Deep flooding during rush hour caused severe congestion on Do Xuan Hop Street, with a dense stream of cars and motorbikes inching home. Deep flooding during rush hour caused severe congestion on Do Xuan Hop Street, with a dense stream of cars and motorbikes inching home. Deep flooding during rush hour caused severe congestion on Do Xuan Hop Street, with a dense stream of cars and motorbikes inching home. Heavy congestion on Dien Bien Phu Street in Binh Thanh. Heavy congestion on Dien Bien Phu Street in Binh Thanh. Heavy congestion on Dien Bien Phu Street in Binh Thanh.