It would be too early for residents in Ho Chi Minh City to feel happy when floodwater previously caused by a historic rain recedes, as garbage has emerged as another aching problem in the wake of the downpour on Sunday.

The Vietnamese metropolis was struck by a record volume of rainfall that led to large-scale inundation that lingered until Monday.

As the rainwater has finally receded in most neighborhoods, local authorities are now scratching their heads over another serious problem – rubbish.

A damaged mattress and furniture are dumped on an empty land plot. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A massive amount of household waste has piled up along many streets and canals, as seen by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters on Tuesday.

Authorities have considered the rubbish one of the reasons for the severe and prolonged flooding, as sewers filled with trash are commonplace in the city.

Damaged mattresses and furniture are dumped on an empty land plot. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The city’s Urban Drainage Company previously tasked nearly 700 employees with collecting trash and dredging sewers in a bid to alleviate the inundation, but their efforts did not make any significant difference.

Relevant units and district-level administrations are now working to collect and transport the garbage to local landfills.

Rubbish is collected on Le Dinh Can Street in Binh Tan District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

But even this task is not easy, with household waste now including wooden beds and closets, sofas, and mattresses disposed of by local families after the flood. Garbage collectors are normally not in charge of dealing with this type of waste.

Residents are required to negotiate with local services to have the garbage transported to a landfill or treatment zone.

Used sofas are left on Tay Thanh Street in Tan Phu District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

According to Cao Van Tuan, an official from the Urban Environment Company, the damaged furniture has stacked up in multiple neighborhoods, making collecting even harder.

The company is unable to deal with the issue alone, Tuan stated, adding that the administration in each district must coordinate with the firm to find out a suitable solution.

Garbage piles up in Binh Tan District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Rubbish stacks up on Quoc Hung Street in District 2. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A massive amount of trash is collected from a canal near Tan Son Nhat International Airport. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Workers dredge a canal in Thu Duc District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A canal in Binh Tan District is filled with trash. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Wooden planks are collected in Binh Chanh District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Garbage carts line up along Pham Van Dong Street in Thu Duc District. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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