Flood risks at 18 spots in Hanoi
Hanoi has 18 locations at risk of flooding when rainfall averages at least 50mm per two hours, according to head of the Hanoi Sewerage and Drainage Limited Company.
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These include the Phan Boi Chau – Ly Thuong Kiet intersection, the Duong Thanh – Bat Dan– Nha Hoa – Cao Ba Quat intersection, as well as the streets of Doi Can, Thuy Khue, Minh Khai, Nguyen Chinh, Thanh Dam, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Khuyen, and the stretch of Giai Phong street in front of the bus terminal.
Three other locations are in the Long Bien basin of the Red River, including the Ngoc Lam ward and the Hoang Nhu Tiep and Co Linh streets.
The four remaining locations are in the basin on the right banks of the Nhue River, including Hoa Bang and Phạm Van Dong streets in Cau Giay district; and in the Ha Dong basin of the Red River, including the Quang Trung – Phan Dinh Giot intersection and in front of the Yen Nghia Bus Station.
He said that most of Hanoi’s drainage system had not received enough investment to keep pace with urbanisation.
The drainage system worked well when rainfall was less than 50mm per two hours but if it is above this figure, the system is overwhelmed, he said.
Inspections carried out by the city last year showed that some irrigation features were built 60-70 years ago with outdated technologies and equipment.
The Nhue River system from Ring Road 4 to Lien Mac ward in Bac Tu Liem district has not been dredged for a long time, and would be unable to drain water for inner-city areas and Hoai Duc and Dan Phuong districts, said deputy director of the city’s Department of Agricultural and Rural Development Chu Phu My at a recent meeting with city leaders on natural disaster prevention.
A majority of the 95 detention basins in the city have earth dams that have eroded and downgraded, and their water retention capacity is weak, he said.
The 2017 storm and rain season is expected to directly affect Hanoi, particularly the city’s drainage, said Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Construction Vo Nguyen Phong.
Some 13-15 storms and tropical depressions are expected to occur during the season, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
To cope with the upcoming rain and storm season, Hanoi has carried out various measures such as dredging key drainage pillars such as Hao Nam and Le Van Luong, according to Hung.
The city also plans to dredge lakes such as Giap Bat, Kim Lien, Den Lu and Hoan Kiem, keep pumping stations under regular maintenance and prepare equipment, materials and human resources for flooding, Hung said.
