Ho Chi Minh City cut down 2,437 damaged or unsafe trees between January and July in order to ensure the safety of residents and property, according to the local Department of Construction.

These trees were not part of any transportation or construction project, said the Ho Chi Minh City Technical Infrastructure Management Center under the department.

Subordinate agencies of the department cared for, maintained, and pruned around 150,000 trees along roadsides, in parks, and at other public locations in the first seven months of the year.

They trimmed 143 trees with heavy branches and cleared 156 others.

As the stormy season in the southern metropolis recently reached its peak, the number of incidents caused by falling trees has been on the rise.

On August 9, a tree branch came plummeting down right where a group of residents were exercising at Tao Dan Park in District 1.

The falling tree limb was hollow inside and measured 10 meters long. The branch fell approximately 20 meters to the ground.

Two of the victims died on the spot while three more were injured.

During a heavy downpour on Wednesday afternoon, around 12 roadside trees were uprooted, crashing into walls and power lines, as well as crushing several motorcycles and cars.

One person was killed after a large branch fell on them on An Duong Vuong Street in District 10 the same day.

Ho Chi Minh City Greenery Parks Co. Ltd. proposed several measures to prevent tree-related accidents.

These include renting 35- to 40-meter bucket trucks to prune large, potentially hazardous branches along roads and in parks; piloting the use of cables to secure large branches to the trunks of trees such as hopea odorata and dipterocarpus alatus; utilizing drones for tree inspection and assessment; and forming teams to quickly respond to dangerous trees.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!