Mud bursts from Hanoi metro tunnel again, floods residential alley

At around 4 p.m. on Sept. 8, sludge erupted through drainage pipes on Alley 7, Giang Van Minh Street, spreading across 50 meters of roadway and reaching the very edge of homes. Residents said within half an hour, the watery mud had soaked the narrow lane and disrupted daily life.

Mud surged onto Alley 7, Giang Van Minh Street in Hanoi, Vietnam, Sept. 8, 2025. Photo by Hoang Nam

Doan Hoang Nam, who lives at house number 41, said it was the second time the alley had been hit. He recounted that mud rose directly from the drains and before long was flowing past the doors of residents’ homes, forcing them to call the authorities immediately.

The Hanoi Metropolitan Railway Management Board (MRB) deployed 30 workers, five suction trucks and specialized equipment to clear the sludge and clean the site. The contractor also promised temporary support for affected households, including meals, shelter and compensation for businesses forced to halt operations.

 

 

Mud bursts from Hanoi metro tunnel again, floods residential alley

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Lee Young Kyeong, deputy project director and representative of the main contractor HGU Joint Venture, apologized to residents.

He said the tunneling machines had encountered a geologically unstable zone with backfill soil, loose debris, remnants of old wells and disused drains that created pathways for mud to surge to the surface.

Two tanker trucks were deployed to suction the mud. Photo by Vo Hai

Monday’s incident was the fourth mud overflow linked to the metro project. A similar eruption occurred in the same alley eight months ago. In May, sludge spilled onto Cat Linh Street, and in early August, mud and water burst up from Nui Truc Alley after another TBM machine started drilling.

The Nhon–Hanoi Station line is 12.5 km long, with 8.5 km elevated and 4 km underground. Work began in 2009 with an initial completion target of 2015, but repeated delays have pushed the deadline to 2027. The elevated section began commercial service in August 2024, marking Hanoi’s second metro line in operation, after Cat Linh - Ha Dong.