High tide causes misery on Saigon street

By Thanh Nguyen September 11, 2018 | 08:37 pm PT

Monday evening, with Saigon’s rivers and canals at high tide, proved a nightmare for many motorbike riders on flood-prone Huynh Tan Phat Street.

Getting their motorbikes submerged under water is what most drivers faced when traversing along a 500-meter section of Huynh Tan Phat Street in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 7 on Monday evening.

Most riders struggled as their motorbike engine was quickly flooded on a 500-meter section of Huynh Tan Phat Street in District 7, to the south of Ho Chi Minh City.

With the section already filled up with holes in different sizes and then came the floods, many easily fell off their bikes. Because of the floods, I could not see the holes on the street to avoid, Mai says.

There are many potholes on that stretch, and unwary riders fell off their bikes. Mai, one such unfortunate victim, said: “Because of the floods, I could not see the potholes to avoid them.”

I have to drive more carefully every time passing this section but the situation today is worse than normal days, Tuan says after falling right in front of a truck.

“I always have to drive carefully when I cross this section, but the situation today is worse than normal, ” Tuan said after toppling over right in front of a truck.

As one of the wheels gets stuck in a hole, the woman in the back seat has to get off to push their bike.

With a scooter getting stuck in a pothole, this woman had to get off the pillion to extricate it.

A woman receives help to push her scooter after the floods kills its engine. This section is seriously downgraded and every time it is submerged, either by heavy rains or high tide, drivers easily fall off their bikes. Locals have spent their own money filling up several holes but couldnt change anything, says Dung, a vendor.

A woman receives help after water got into her vehicle engine. Dung, a vendor in the area, said: “This section is seriously downgraded and every time it is submerged, either because of heavy rain or high tide, people easily fall off their motorbikes. Local residents have spent their own money filling up potholes.”

The floods send Huynh Tan Phat 30-50 centimeters under water and slow down traffic flow. And due to a construction site on the street, traffic jam lasts for around 1 km.

The flooding drowned Huynh Tan Phat under 30-50 centimeters of water and slowed down traffic. With public works on the street causing a bottleneck, there was a traffic jam stretching around 1 km.

And to save themselves from the floods, many choose to drive on the sidewalk, turning the entire section in complete disorder.

Many people were forced to drive on the sidewalk, causing even more disorder.

Some locals have to use signboard of the construction site to warn drivers about the downgraded street. Due to the floods, weve been taking turn to stay here to help those in need. We really hope that the authorities will quickly upgrade this section, Tran Huu Nghia, a local, says. HCMC is still in the rainy and high tide season. And as forecast by the Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Center the tide will keep rising in coming days

Some local residents are helping out, warning drivers about the perils on the street and giving a hand to those who require it. Tran Huu Nghia, a local, said: “Due to the floods, we’ve been taking turns to stay here to help those in need. We really hope the authorities quickly upgrade this section.” In HCMC, it is still the rainy season. The Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Center also forecasts the tide to keep rising in the next few days.