High tide, supported by heavy rain, heavily submerged many areas in Ho Chi Minh City yesterday, and the tide is forecast to reach its peak at the highest-ever level this afternoon, October 17. According to the Southern Hydro-Meteorological Station, the high tide yesterday reached 1.59 meters, the same as that in December 2011, and the figure will increase to 1.6 meters at 5:30 pm today – the highest peak so far. At 6pm tomorrow the tide will return to 1.59 meters before gradually receding in the days to come, the station said. It was raining heavily when the high tide reached its peak yesterday, resulting in serious inundation in many areas of various districts in the city, including Districts 2, 5, 8, 11 and Binh Tan, Binh Chanh, Binh Thanh and Tan Phu Districts. The high tide plus rainwater submerged many streets, including Trang Tu, Duong Tu Giang and Tran Hunng Dao in District 5, each of which were under about 0.5 meter of water, causing numerous motorbikes to break down and many travelers to fall to the ground. The same situation was seen on many other streets, including Ben Phu Dinh in District 8, Ung Van Khiem in Binh Thanh District, Hoa Binh in Tan Phu District and District 11, Kinh Duong Vuong in Binh Tan District, and Hong Bang in District 11, and the area at the foot of the Thu Thiem Bridge in District 2. Below are photos of the serious flooding caused by the high tide yesterday.

 Ben Phu Dinh Street in District 8 was submerged under 0.5 meters of water yesterday afternoon

The area near the Thu Thiem Bridge in District 2 was seriously flooded yesterday afternoon  

Many motorbikes broke down when they became stuck in heavily submerged streets in District 2

A motorbike repairer was re-arranging his place of business on a pavement of submerged Luong Dinh Cua Street in District 2

 A woman pushes her broken down scooter on Go Cong street, District 5

A motorbike driver fell to the ground after losing control over his vehicle that was carrying goods on flooded Trang Tu Street in District 5

A trader on Trang Tu Street, District 5, was sad over a business slowdown due to the flooding

 Drivers trying to cross Ngo Nhan Tinh Street in District 5, which was submerged by the high tide

 Residents on Go Cong Street, District 5 uses wooden bars to prevent floodwater from entering their houses