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At around 4 p.m., a tide of more than 1.7 m, the highest in HCMC this year, leaves Pham Huu Lau Street in the former District 7 in the city's southern area under half a meter of water along a stretch of about 3 km. Vehicles follow one another through the flooded section as traffic falls into disorder.
People wade through the water, pushing stalled motorbikes along Pham Huu Lau Street.
At the same time, water on Tran Xuan Soan Street nearby reaches halfway up vehicle wheels, stalling many of them. The street is among those regularly affected when river and canal levels rise.
Canal water spills onto Tran Xuan Soan Street and covers the road surface, making travel difficult for residents.
In the city center, water rising from Ben Nghe Canal floods the Vo Van Kiet-Ky Con intersection to a depth of 30-40 cm. Motorbike riders crowd into the middle of the road to avoid the deeper spots, slowing traffic.
A long line of vehicles inches along Vo Van Kiet Street, heading from the Saigon River Tunnel toward Ong Lanh Bridge. The congestion stretches on as water covers many sections of the road.
Across the Saigon River, water also spills onto the road along the Thu Thiem riverside park. With the water above motorbike exhaust pipes, people struggle to push their vehicles on their way to visit a nearby temple.
A woman strains to push her food cart through a flooded stretch near Nha Rong Wharf. Behind her, a six-deck luxury restaurant yacht is moored along the Saigon River.
The Nguyen Huu Tho-Le Thi Kinh intersection is under about 30 cm of water in both directions. Many motorbike riders hug the curb to avoid the low spots, causing light congestion in the area.
At a container yard near Phu My Bridge, water begins rising at around 4 p.m. and spills into a cargo staging area along the Saigon River.
Beyond the streets, the tide also floods many homes in a alley off Huynh Tan Phat Street in the former District 7.
Water pours into the home of a woman identified as Tu, submerging the entire yard and kitchen and sweeping away many belongings. Although the family raised the floor by about half a meter a year ago, the house still floods regularly whenever high tides coincide with heavy rain.
Nearby, Ngoc Hong Pagoda raised its floor by another 0.7 m three months ago to keep water out of the main hall when the tide runs high.
The tide floods Hoang Quoc Viet Street in the former District 7, backing up traffic and forcing motorbike riders onto the sidewalk to avoid the water. Traffic police are on hand to direct vehicles through the area.
Water levels at the Phu An, Nha Be and Thu Dau Mot stations all exceeded alert level 3, the highest, on Oct. 10, according to the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center. High tides are forecast to continue on Oct. 11-12, raising the risk of flooding in low-lying and riverside areas, and residents are advised to take precautions and travel carefully.
