Torrential downpour began pounding lots of districts of Ho Chi Minh City from 2:00 pm on Friday due to the impact of Storm No.1 in the East Vietnam Sea, turning many streets citywide into rivers.

The southern weather agency said in a weather forecast released at 1:45 pm the same day that thunderclouds were forming and causing heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in various areas of Can Gio District, Binh Tan District, District 6, Cu Chi District, and Hoc Mon District.

Thunderclouds were also moving toward the city from neighboring provinces such as Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, and Long An.

After over 30 minutes of rainfall, many streets experienced heavy flooding, including Le Van Viet Street in Thu Duc City, an administrative district of Ho Chi Minh City, and Ung Van Khiem Street in Binh Thanh District.

At around 3:00 pm the same day, employees of Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company came to the flooded road sections where they removed trash from clogged manholes to help rainwater drain quickly.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that people in the city and other southern provinces could see more downpours and thunderstorms over the next few days, with rainfall mostly taking place in the afternoon and evening.

According to the national weather center, a tropical depression in the northern part of the Hoang Sa (Spratly) archipelago in the East Vietnam Sea on Friday afternoon strengthened into Storm No.1, the first storm to hit Vietnam this year and internationally known as Storm Maliksi.

By 4:00 pm on Friday, the storm was spotted in the southern waters off the Chinese province of Guangdong.

It was moving northward at 5-10 kilometers per hour, packing strong winds of between 62 and 74 kilometers per hour.

Maliksi is expected to move northeast at around 10 kilometers per hour over the next 24 hours before steadily weakening into a tropical depression in the mainland of Guangdong.

Vehicles wade through an inundated street in the rain in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Quy / Tuoi Tre

A bird’s eye view of heavy rainfall lashing Tan Binh District in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Duyen Phan / Tuoi Tre

A vehicle breaks down due to flooding on Le Van Viet Street in Thu Duc City, an administrative district of Ho Chi Minh City, on May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Quy / Tuoi Tre

A motorcycle falls into the street due to fast-moving rainwater on Le Van Viet Street in Thu Duc City, an administrative district of Ho Chi Minh City, on May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Quy / Tuoi Tre

Intense rainfall made life tougher for commuters in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Quy / Tuoi Tre

An employee of Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company removes trash from a clogged manhole to help rainwater drain quickly on a street in Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Tien Quoc / Tuoi Tre

A street vendor is seen handling his stall on the heavily-flooded Ung Van Khiem Street in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Tien Quoc / Tuoi Tre

Heavy downpour turned a tunnel next to Ho Chi Minh City’s new Mien Dong bus station into a river, May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Quy / Tuoi Tre

Local residents try to prevent knee-high rainwater from entering their house on Dang Van Bi Street in Thu Duc City, under the jurisdiction of Ho Chi Minh City, May 31, 2024. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

Flooding due to intense rainfall caused many motorbike breakdowns on Do Xuan Hop Street in Thu Duc City, under the jurisdiction of Ho Chi Minh City, May 31, 2024. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

A pedestrian walkway in the Tan Tao tunnel area in Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City is waterlogged after a heavy downpour on May 31, 2024. Photo: Ngoc Khai / Tuoi Tre

Heavy flooding induced by intense rainfall also hits Thao Dien Street in Thu Duc City under the jurisdiction of Ho Chi Minh City on May 31, 2024. Photo: Phuong Quyen / Tuoi Tre

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