Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi has 18 locations at risk of flooding when rainfallaverages at least 50mm per two hours, according to head of the Hanoi Sewerageand Drainage Limited Company.

Eleven of the 18 locations highly likely to suffer flooding are located in the ToLich River Basin, said the company’s general director Vo Tien Hung at a recent pressconference.

These include the Phan Boi Chau – Ly Thuong Kiet intersection, the Duong Thanh– Bat Dan– Nha Hoa – Cao Ba Quat intersection, as well as the streets of DoiCan, Thuy Khue, Minh Khai, Nguyen Chinh, Thanh Dam, Truong Chinh, Nguyen Khuyen,and the stretch of Giai Phong street in front of the bus terminal.

Three other locations are in the Long Bien basin of the Red River, includingthe Ngoc Lam ward and the Hoang Nhu Tiep and Co Linh streets.

The four remaining locations are in the basin on the right banks of the NhueRiver, including Hoa Bang and Phạm Van Dong streets in Cau Giay district; andin the Ha Dong basin of the Red River, including the Quang Trung – Phan Dinh Giotintersection and in front of the Yen Nghia Bus Station.

He said that most of Hanoi’s drainage system had not received enough investmentto keep pace with urbanisation.

The drainage system worked well when rainfall was less than 50mm per two hoursbut if it is above this figure, the system is overwhelmed, he said.

Inspections carried out by the city last year showed that some irrigationfeatures were built 60-70 years ago with outdated technologies and equipment.

The Nhue River system from Ring Road 4 to Lien Mac ward in Bac Tu Liem districthas not been dredged for a long time, and would be unable to drain water forinner-city areas and Hoai Duc and Dan Phuong districts, said deputy director ofthe city’s Department of Agricultural and Rural Development Chu Phu My at arecent meeting with city leaders on natural disaster prevention.

A majority of the 95 detention basins in the city have earth dams that haveeroded and downgraded, and their water retention capacity is weak, he said.

The 2017 storm and rain season is expected to directly affect Hanoi,particularly the city’s drainage, said Deputy Director of the municipalDepartment of Construction Vo Nguyen Phong.

Some 13-15 storms and tropical depressions are expected to occur during the season,according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

To cope with the upcoming rain and storm season, Hanoi has carried out variousmeasures such as dredging key drainage pillars such as Hao Nam and Le Van Luong,according to Hung.

The city also plans to dredge lakes such as Giap Bat, Kim Lien, Den Lu and HoanKiem, keep pumping stations under regular maintenance and prepare equipment,materials and human resources for flooding, Hung said.-VNA