Severe thunderstorms and lightning strikes caused widespread flooding in Ho Chi Minh City.

After 10 PM, many areas in Ho Chi Minh City, from the city center to the outskirts, experienced heavy rain, accompanied by extreme weather phenomena such as thunderstorms, lightning, and strong gusts of wind, posing a danger to pedestrians.

The heavy rain, which lasted for over an hour, caused severe flooding in many areas. Strong gusts of wind blew away many signs and knocked down trees.

Flooding on Pham Van Chieu street. Photo: Nguyen Phuong Thao

Earlier, at 9:30 PM, the Southern Vietnam Regional Meteorological and Hydrological Station issued a warning of rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning for the entire Ho Chi Minh City area.

The agency stated that monitoring satellite cloud imagery, weather radar images, and lightning location data shows that thunderstorms are developing strongly and causing thunderstorms across most districts of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, thunderstorm areas in Binh Duong, Dong Nai , and Vung Tau are also tending to move towards Ho Chi Minh City.

Water overflows on Phan Van Tri Street. Photo: Man Nhi

The agency warned that tonight, thunderstorms will continue to bring rain, accompanied by lightning, to the entire Ho Chi Minh City area, with some places experiencing moderate to heavy rain. Afterwards, the clouds will move and expand in an east-northeast to west-southwest direction to other neighboring districts and counties, causing thunderstorms.

At the same time, thunderstorms currently present over neighboring provinces, after moving to Ho Chi Minh City, will continue to cause showers and thunderstorms throughout the city. Rainfall amounts will generally range from 10-30mm, with some areas receiving over 40mm. During thunderstorms, be wary of lightning and strong gusts of wind (approximately level 5-7, 8-17 m/s).

Flooding occurred on Song Hành Street (Tan Hung Thuan Ward, District 12).

Signboards in many places were blown down by the rain and wind.

WATCH CLIP: Flooding on Song Hành Street

At 11 PM, Nguyen Van Khoi Street (Go Vap District) was flooded like a river. Numerous cars and motorbikes were "swimming" on the road, and many vehicles broke down.

The father and son wheeled their bicycles home late at night, amidst vast stretches of water.

While driving through the deep floodwaters, numerous vehicles broke down.

Anh Phát, a ride-hailing driver, expressed his frustration: "I only earn a few tens of thousands of dong per ride. Now my car has broken down, and I have to spend millions of dong to hire a tow truck to take it for repairs."

Urban drainage company employees clear the waterway.

WATCH CLIP: Flooding on Nguyen Van Khoi Street

WATCH CLIP: Heavy rain causes water to gush out of manholes in columns on Hoang Sa Street (Ward 5, Tan Binh District).

Heavy rain causes severe flooding in many homes and roads in Dong Nai this evening.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/mua-giong-set-danh-du-doi-tp-hcm-ngap-nang-o-khap-noi-2157495.html