Heavy unseasonal rain floods Ho Chi Minh City underpass
Thursday, February 13, 2025, 11:54 GMT+7
Heavy rain lashed Ho Chi Minh City early Thursday morning, flooding the Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho underpass in District 7 and disrupting the morning commute.
The water level at the Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho underpass HC1 branch, which runs in the direction of National Highway 1 through to Tan Thuan, measured 30-40 cm deep and stretched 50 meters, making it difficult for vehicles to pass.
Several cars were damaged and forced to pull over at the underpass entrance.
“I pass through [the underpass] every morning, but today there was flooding,” said Tran Van Vy, a resident of District 7.
“I tried to drive through since I was already in the tunnel.
"I was lucky that my car didn’t stall.
"This is the first time I’ve seen this tunnel flooded since it opened at the end of 2024.”
Upon receiving reports from the public, authorities visited the scene to direct traffic and issue warnings.
Drainage workers were deployed to the underpass to clear the water and prevent further accumulation.
Speaking with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, a representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Transportation Works Construction Investment Project Management Authority, the project’s investor, explained that the flooding occurred after a heavy rain from late Wednesday night to Thursday morning.
The opposite side of the underpass was unaffected.
Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho Underpass in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City was hit by heavy flooding caused by unseasonal rain on February 13, 2025.
An inspection of the underpass confirmed that the pumping system and pumping station were functioning as normal, but the water intake areas, collection pipes, and pumping station had become clogged with debris, preventing water from draining properly.
The investor directed contractors to focus on addressing the issue by Thursday morning and emphasized the need for strengthened inspections and operational reviews to prevent future flooding.
The Nguyen Van Linh-Nguyen Huu Tho intersection underpass project has a total investment of over VND830 billion (US$32.6 million).
It includes two branches, each approximately 456 meters long, and can accommodate six lanes of traffic in both directions.
It was built from reinforced concrete.
The project was completed and put into operation at the end of December 2024.
Data from the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center showed that several areas of Ho Chi Minh City recorded significant unseasonal rainfall on Thursday morning, including 124.4 mm at Nha Be Station, 126.6 mm at Long Thanh Station in Dong Nai Province, and 79.8 mm at Tam Thon Hiep 1 in Hoc Mon District.
Weather stations in Thu Duc City, Cat Lai area, and other southeast provinces also recorded over 40 mm.
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