On Tuesday morning, Typhoon Kajiki's circulation caused heavy rains in northern Vietnam, with Hanoi hit particularly hard. Rains from Monday night until the next morning left about 40 streets in the capital heavily flooded, disrupting commuters' morning journeys.
Motorbike repair shops in flooded neighborhoods saw a sudden surge in customers. In the photo, a repair shop at the Tran Dang Ninh intersection (Cau Giay Ward), just a few meters from a submerged road, already had dozens of motorbikes lined up waiting for service early in the morning. Photo by Minh Quan
Because the number of customers was overwhelming, the workshop on Tran Dang Ninh could not manage them all. Customers had to write down their place in line, along with their phone numbers and bike models, so staff could call them back after repairs. Waiting times were usually 30 minutes to an hour, sometimes longer. Photo by Minh Quan
The shop owner (in yellow) said: “Normally, we open at 7:30 a.m., but today many customers whose bikes had stalled were already waiting outside early. They kept calling the number, so I and several mechanics had to open earlier than usual.” Photo by Minh Quan
“I managed to get three mechanics to the shop, but dozens of customers were waiting. Some people got tired of waiting and just left their bikes and phone numbers behind,” the owner shared.
All the vehicles brought in had the same issue: stalling in floodwater. On average, it took about 10–15 minutes to fix each bike. For more serious cases, such as water entering the exhaust pipe or engine compartment, repairs took 30 minutes or more, not including waiting time. Photo by Minh Quan
The first question mechanics asked was always about how deep the floodwaters had been, to diagnose why the bike had stalled. Typically, when riding through flooded streets, water enters the air filter and spark plug, killing the engine. In minor cases, mechanics only needed to remove and dry the spark plug and replace the air filter for the bike to start again. Photo by Minh Quan
For bikes that forced their way through deeper water, leading to water flooding the exhaust, mechanics had to crank the engine and fully rev the throttle to push the water out. Old oil was flushed from the engine compartment and replaced with new oil to prevent damage to components like the connecting rod, cylinder, head and valves. Photo by Minh Quan
A pile of wet and damaged spark plugs and spark plug caps lay discarded in a corner of the shop. Photo by Minh Quan
Some bikes, even after spark plugs and filters were replaced and the ignition system dried, still could not start and had to be jump-started with an external battery. Photo by Minh Quan
One mechanic was seen fitting a new air filter into a Honda Lead. The shop owner said the overwhelming number of customers had exhausted their stock of spare parts, forcing them to order more from outside suppliers. Photo by Minh Quan
Using his stalled scooter, Duy Anh said: “My wife and I left home at 7:30 a.m. We avoided many flooded streets, but when we reached Tran Quoc Hoan, the water was almost up to the exhaust pipe and the bike died. Although my bike wasn’t severely flooded and water hadn’t reached the exhaust, we still had to wait nearly an hour for our turn because there were just too many bikes.” Photo by Minh Quan
Meanwhile, Mai Hoa (L) said her motorbike became a victim when a car behind her caused a strong wave, forcing water into the exhaust. After pushing the bike to a repair shop, she had to wait 30 minutes before it was fixed. Photo by Minh Quan
Even after nearly three hours, the crowds of motorbikes waiting for repair remained heavy outside the shops. Prices ranged from VND200,000–300,000 ($7.59-11.38) for minor issues like replacing spark plugs, air filters, and oil. For more serious damage, repairs cost VND500,000–600,000. Photo by Minh Quan
To avoid repair costs altogether, many opted for a service that ferried both bikes and riders across flooded streets for VND100,000, such as on Duong Dinh Nghe Street.
Rainfall from Kajiki’s circulation is forecast to ease later on Tuesday, as the tropical depression from the typhoon weakens while moving from Laos into Thailand. Photo by Tran Quynh
