Rainfall recorded from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 3 a.m. Thursday reached 199 mm in Tu Liem, 190 mm in Hai Ba Trung, 182 mm in Cau Giay, 164 mm in Yen So and 153 mm in Thanh Liet, according to the Hanoi Sewerage Company.

Floodwaters of 30-50 centimeters covered numerous roads, while some low-lying areas were submerged by nearly a meter. Several major routes became difficult or impossible for vehicles to pass, leaving motorists stranded in long traffic queues and forcing others to seek higher ground.

On some roads, water covered most of the street surface, with authorities restricting traffic in flooded sections. Vehicles were forced to move slowly through deep water, while some stalled and required assistance.

The flooding was particularly severe in western and southwestern parts of the city, including Tay Mo and nearby areas. Some streets were submerged by 30-50 cm, while Cau Coc Street was covered by more than half a meter of water and nearly one meter in some sections.

Flooding also disrupted public services and daily routines. Some schools closed or switched to online classes, while residents skipped work because of impassable roads. In several neighborhoods, people moved goods and vehicles to higher ground to protect them from rising water.

The disruption extended to major traffic corridors across the city, with severe congestion reported as vehicles were diverted toward higher ground. Some commuters abandoned their vehicles or pushed stalled motorbikes through the water.

Vehicles crowd the higher ground around elevated railway pillars along National Highway 32 as Cau Dien Street floods. Photo by The Bang

Central areas experienced less severe flooding. Some streets had drained by around 8:40 a.m., while localized flooding in other areas cleared later in the morning.

The Hanoi Construction Department said continuous rain since Sept. 14 had brought cumulative rainfall above 400 mm in many parts of the city and above 500 mm in several areas. The Nhue River and its tributaries were at alarm levels, while high downstream water levels restricted natural drainage.

By 12:40 p.m., 36 pumping stations were operating at maximum capacity. Water levels were gradually receding in some flooded areas, including Phu Dien, Tu Liem and Nghia Do, where flooding had earlier reached 30-40 cm. However, low-lying areas of the Nhue River basin, particularly Tay Mo and Xuan Phuong, remained flooded.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned of thunderstorms in the following hours, with possible tornadoes, lightning, strong wind gusts and hail.

The heavy rain was attributed to the interaction between a tropical depression and the intertropical convergence zone, which brought continuous rainfall to Hanoi from Sept. 14 to 17.