Ho Chi Minh City streets under nearly a meter of water after heavy rain

The downpour, accompanied by thunder and lightning, began around 5 p.m., affecting districts such as Binh Thanh, Go Vap, and Thu Duc City.

By 6 p.m., flooding had overwhelmed major streets, including Dinh Bo Linh and Chu Van An in Binh Thanh District, as well as areas surrounding Thu Duc Market, causing severe disruptions.

A man wade through floodwaters to collect trash and retrieve potted plants swept away by the current on Chu Van An Street in Binh Thanh District, HCMC, June 10, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van

In some alleys off Chu Van An Street, water levels rose to waist height. Runoff from higher ground carried trash, plastic bags, and even ornamental plants into the streets, clogging storm drains. Locals used sticks to remove debris in an attempt to drain the floodwater.

Despite makeshift barriers made of wooden planks and metal sheets, water still poured into homes, interrupting daily life.

Dang Khoa, 35, said flooding worsens each time there is a heavy rain. "Every time it rains like this, garbage from the nearby market gets washed into the drainage system, causing blockages. Sometimes there are even rotting fish organs and foul-smelling waste," he said while clearing debris and repositioning toppled potted plants.

A resident uses a stick to clear trash from a blocked drain in deep floodwaters. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van

Le Dinh Quyet, head of forecasting unit at the Southern and Central Highlands Hydrometeorological Center, said the downpour was triggered by a tropical depression in the East Sea, with rainfall lasting from morning into the night.

By 7:30 p.m., rainfall in Thu Duc City had reached nearly 90 mm after over two hours, while other districts recorded 40–50 mm.

A man tries to block floodwaters with a wooden plank. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van

Heavy rain is expected to continue across HCMC and the southern region on Wednesday, driven by the continued influence of a storm in the East Sea.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, a tropical depression formed in the East Sea intensified into a storm on Wednesday morning, packing winds of 62-74 km/h in waters to the east of the Hoang Sa (Paracel) Islands.