HCMC motorcyclist fatally struck by falling tree branch

The incident occurred around 3 p.m. as the woman was traveling from her home to the HCMC University of Education to pick up her child. As she passed along An Duong Vuong Street in District 5, a tree branch from a height of 20 meters suddenly fell, striking her.

Bystanders and local authorities rushed her to the hospital. A representative from Cho Ray Hospital reported that the woman sustained severe bruises on the back of her head and was bleeding from her nose, mouth, and ears. She was diagnosed with significant brain and spine trauma before succumbing to her injuries.

A woman is taken onto an ambulance to hospital after being hit by a fallen tree branch in HCMC, Sept. 4, 2024. Photo by VnExpress/Minh Trinh

Tran Kien Trong, chairman of the Ward 3 People's Committee, noted that the tree from which the branch fell had been planted many years ago.

The HCMC Greenery Parks Company has provided financial assistance to the victim’s family for funeral expenses.

HCMC experienced strong gales on Wednesday, which led to several trees being uprooted or damaged, causing harm to infrastructure and people on the streets.

An uprooted African mahogany tree of around 12 meters tall lies across a street in HCMC's Binh Thanh District after a thunderstorm on Sept. 4, 2024. Photo by VnExpress

HCMC has seen multiple incidents of falling trees and branches leading to injuries and fatalities in recent times.

On Aug. 9, a tree branch fell in Tao Dan Park in downtown District 1, killing two people who were doing exercises in the park and injuring three others.