Hanoi braces for torrential rains as full-dress National Day parade rehearsal nears

The deluge, forecast to last until Sunday, poses high risks of flash floods, landslides and urban inundation.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting cautioned that localized downpours could dump more than 150 mm of rain in just three hours, enough to paralyze traffic and swamp low-lying neighborhoods. Authorities have urged vigilance, especially in mountainous provinces where landslides remain a constant danger.

Hanoi itself faces a 60–80% chance of thunderstorms and showers during key periods on Friday and Saturday, coinciding with the full-dress rehearsal of the 80th National Day military parade. Nearly 16,000 personnel, 43 marching groups and 14 convoys of military vehicles are scheduled to assemble at Ba Dinh Square on Saturday morning in preparation for the Sept. 2 celebration.

Heavy rains are also forecast for central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Hue, where totals could reach 150–350 mm over the next three days, with local peaks above 600 mm. Provincial governments have been ordered to review evacuation plans, clear drainage channels and monitor riverbanks and mountain slopes to prevent disasters.

The warnings come as Hanoi is still recovering from record rainfall on Aug. 26 that submerged about 80 locations, including areas a meter deep on Duong Dinh Nghe Street in Cau Giay District. As of Friday morning, water half a meter deep still blocked parts of Thang Long Avenue and Vo Chi Cong Street, forcing detours and disrupting daily life.