Heavy rain, high tides raise flood risk across Ho Chi Minh City, southern Vietnam

The Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center said a tropical convergence zone, reinforced by cold air moving south, will continue to bring unsettled weather to southern Vietnam over the next few days.

Rain may occur at any time, but is expected to be most frequent from midday through the evening and night. Some areas could also see earlier showers in the morning, particularly on October 7 and 8.

Thunderstorms may bring lightning, strong winds and whirlwinds, while prolonged heavy rain could trigger flooding in low-lying areas and places with poor drainage.

In Ho Chi Minh City, moderate to heavy rain is forecast from 1:00 pm on October 6 to 1:00 pm on October 8, with total rainfall of 70-140 millimeters and more than 150 millimeters in some areas.

Another 40-80 millimeters of rain is expected from 1:00 pm on October 8 to 1:00 pm on October 9, with some places receiving more than 100 millimeters.

The flood threat could be worsened by rising water levels in rivers and canals across southern Vietnam during the early-September high-tide cycle on the lunar calendar.

In Ho Chi Minh City, water levels are forecast to rise above alert level 2 and approach alert level 3 from the early morning of October 8.

Residents are advised to monitor weather updates and plan their journeys carefully, particularly during rush hour, when heavy rain and high tides could combine to cause flooding and traffic congestion.