Severe tides flood Ho Chi Minh City, residents say it's the worst in a decade

Tidal waters rapidly surged over the Thanh Da embankment in Binh Quoi Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, catching residents off guard. Some locals shared that they hadn’t seen such severe flooding in the past decade.

On the evening of October 24, high tides on the Saigon River surpassed warning levels, submerging the Thanh Da Peninsula in Binh Quoi Ward under deep water.

Many roads were inundated by nearly a meter of murky, fast-flowing water, making daily life and transportation extremely difficult. Several households quickly erected wooden planks and sandbags to block water from entering their homes.

Nguyen Thi Hong Gam said the water had started spilling over the embankment the previous day. Tonight, the tide rose even earlier and surged rapidly into the house despite her family’s efforts to seal the doors. “Now we can only wait for the water to recede,” she said.

Le Nguyen Quynh Huong, who has lived in the area since 1992, noted that it was the worst flooding she had seen in 10 years. “Last year, the water stopped about 10 centimeters below the embankment. This year, it has overflowed,” she said. “Last night, the water rose nearly a meter in just 15 minutes. We had no time to move our belongings.” As she spoke, Huong continued to elevate household items and reminded her daughter to stay seated on a chair to avoid the water.

The kitchen in Huong’s home was deeply flooded, with furniture and appliances floating around. Unable to cook dinner, she said she would wait for the water to subside before going out to buy food.

Nearby, three young men helped lift Cam Tu’s refrigerator to higher ground as water had already entered her home.

Due to the flooding, Hieu had to unplug his fridge and placed his son inside a plastic basin to wade over to Tu’s house to ask for some ice.

Tu sat at her front door waiting for the water to drain. “I’ve lived here for more than 20 years and rarely seen the water rush in this strongly,” she lamented.

Inside the Thanh Da apartment complex, water levels reached up to a meter.

Nguyen Trong Phuong was seen continuously scooping water out of his house. He said if he didn’t act quickly, the water would flood his home, making cleanup even more difficult.

Outside, residents stood at their doorsteps, anxiously watching the water level rise by the minute. Small waves lapped against the embankment, spreading across the road and reaching their doorsteps. Everyone was shocked by how quickly and aggressively the tide had risen.