At 6:00 a.m., heavy rain and thunder affected several areas of Ho Chi Minh City. The vicinity around Thu Duc Market, including nearby streets like Vo Van Ngan and Dang Thi Danh, experienced flooding, with water levels rising above half of a vehicle's wheel. Residents and authorities had to open drainage systems to for the water recede.
According to a warning from the Southern Meteorological and Hydrological Station, satellite images, weather radar, and lightning detection systems since 2:00 a.m. indicated the formation of a storm cloud, bringing heavy rain, thunder, and lightning to Thu Duc City, Can Gio, Nha Be, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi and Go Vap Districts, and surrounding areas.
The water rose nearly to the height of motorcycle seats, causing many vehicles to stall, leaving only buses able to move.
Le Dinh Quyet, Head of the Forecast Department of the Southern and Central Highlands Hydrometeorological Station, said the strong southwest wind pushing moisture from the sea together with the low trough caused widespread rain in Ho Chi Minh City.
The rainfall was over 110 mm in Thu Duc City, 108 mm in Binh Chanh District and over 220 mm in Cu Chi.
Quyet said rainfall of over 100 mm in Ho Chi Minh City is very rare, while rainfall of over 200 mm is extremely rare.
The last time the city had rain of over 200 mm was in 2018 due to the influence of Storm Usagi.
"I haven't seen flooding like this in this market area for a long time," said Cao Van Tai, a worker with over 20 years of experience.
A man attempts to pull a stall that is being swept away by the rising floodwaters at Thu Duc Market.
Residents parked their motorbikes along the roadside near the market to avoid flooding and waited for the water to recede. Some vehicles were overturned as the water continued to rise.
