This year, the situation is poised to be even worse as many areas in the city were inundated after recent early rain.

According to the city’s Steering Center of Flood Control, large-scale drainage projects are moving at a snail’s pace.

Contractors have completed only 27.5% of the project dredging Ben Nghe-Tau Hu Canal, 66% of Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal and 69.3% of Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Rach Nuoc Len Canal.

Do Tan Long, head of the drainage unit at the center, said flooding would occur in the rainy season as implementation of the projects would interrupt water flows.

There are now 64 construction locations across the city affecting the drainage system, including 25 environmental hygiene works and 21 urban upgrading projects.

The center in the near future will dredge local canals, tell contractors to remove barriers in sewers and connect to finished drainage systems to ease flooding. However, many contractors have declined to fix the problems while the center has no right to fine them, Long added. 

Nguyen Minh Giam, deputy head of the southern weather center, said the rainy season would hit the city early this year and peak in May, September and October. There will be hot spells and heavy rain in the transitional period between the dry and rainy seasons.

Recent rain was measured at 120 millimeters at Mac Dinh Chi station, 125 millimeters at Tan Son Nhat Station and 118 millimeters at Nha Be Station, flooding many streets and residential areas in the city.