Hanoi residents flee rising floodwaters at midnight
Tuesday, September 10, 2024, 14:10 GMT+7
The water level in the Red River in northern Vietnam rose, flooding many residential areas in Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and Hoan Kiem Districts in Hanoi, forcing residents to flee from midnight on Monday until early Tuesday.
As the water level spiked swiftly, local authorities had to block several ways to ban residents from approaching dangerous areas.
One resident said that the floodwaters began to run high at 9:00 pm, so they called on each other to move their vehicles and assets to safety.
Households hurriedly packed their belongings and sought shelter in relatives’ houses.
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| A view of a section of the Red River in Hanoi. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
Bich Phuong, a resident of Tay Ho District, recalled that she found her house submerged under knee-high water when she woke up at midnight.
She immediately put some electric utensils in the attic and ran outside, fleeing for her life.
Phuong’s neighbors experienced the same panic trying to relocate belongings and escape the area.
Another family was able to hire a truck, quickly load their assets, and drive to safety.
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| Bich Phuong, a resident of Tay Ho District, Hanoi, hurriedly puts her belongings away to higher places as her house floods. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
The water level in the Red River was 7.56 meters at 7:00 pm on Monday, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
The water level in the Red River was forecast to continue to rise with a high flow velocity due to the rising water levels in nearby rivers and water discharges from upstream hydropower reservoirs.
On Monday afternoon, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development asked Tuyen Quang Hydropower Plant in the namesake northern province to open the last two floodgates of Tuyen Quang reservoir, ensuring all eight floodgates remain open.
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| People in Ba Dinh, Tay Ho, and Hoan Kiem Districts, Hanoi urge each other to move to safety at midnight on September 9, 2024. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
On the same day, the ministry also required Thac Ba Hydropower Plant in Yen Bai Province to open a spillway gate.
Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir also has its two spillway gates opened.
These three reservoirs have exerted an impact on the water level in the Red River.
As a result, the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development tasked the governments of districts and towns with staying ready to evacuate residents in Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, and Long Bien Districts.
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| Vehicles and machines are moved to other places. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| A family hires a truck and loads assets onto it. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| A person wades through a road that is submerged in 50-60 centimeters of water in Hanoi. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| People bring mainly essentials serving their lives. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| Residents use stones to check the floodwater level, saying that it rose eight centimeters per hour. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| Workers leave their workshop in Hanoi. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| A man stands in front of his flooded house in Hanoi after putting his assets in higher places. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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| Residents living along the Red River move their assets out of the flooded areas until early September 10, 2024. Photo: Hong Quang / Tuoi Tre |
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