Two embankment systems and a tide gate were put to use in Ho Chi Minh City on Thursday, keeping more than 42,000 residents in District 8 and District 6 from floods. At a ceremony held yesterday, the District 8 People’s Committee handed over the three anti-flooding works to the Ho Chi Minh City Anti-Flooding Program Operation Center for management and operation. The works cost about VND595 billion (US$27.56 million). One of the embankment systems runs about 3.5km from the Hoa Luc Bridge to the T-junction of the Can Giuoc River in Ward 16, District 8 while the other stretches over 5km from the Ba Tang Bridge to the Ba To Bridge in Ward 7 of the same district. The total cost of the two embankments is VND375 billion ($17.36 million), according to news website VnExpress.   Meanwhile, the tide gate was built at the Ruot Ngua arroyo at a cost of VND220 billion ($10.2 million), the committee said. This gate is equipped with six pumps with a total capacity of 23.33m3 of water per second to drain floodwater caused by high tides, helping stabilize the water level in the channel. The anti-flooding projects will help fight inundation not only in Ward 7 and Ward 16 of District 8, but also in some areas of neighboring District 6, the committee said, adding that the total number of people benefiting from the projects is more than 42,000. District 8, with low terrain and 28 interlacing canals, is vulnerable to flooding triggered by high tides, said Le Quynh Dai, deputy chairman of the local People’s Committee. Residents in Ward 7 and Ward 16 have long suffered from serious inundation, as they are surrounded by the Can Giuoc River, the Tau Hu Canal, and the Ba Tang and Ruot Ngua arroyos, Dai said. These anti-flooding projects are very important to local residents, according to the committee. Speaking at the ceremony on Thursday, Nguyen Huu Tin, deputy chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, said the projects will help facilitate locals’ travel in flood-prone areas, helping improve their life and business activities.

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