Tidal Peak Floods Ho Chi Minh City Streets, Halting Traffic and Exposing Urban Climate Risks

Water levels surged to 1.85 meters — among the highest of the year — inundating low-lying districts and highlighting infrastructure challenges facing Vietnam’s largest city.

VIETNAM INSIDER – Ho Chi Minh City suffered widespread nighttime flooding on December 6 as tide levels peaked at 1.85 meters, overwhelming drainage systems and submerging key traffic corridors across the southern metropolis. The flooding — intensified by seasonal high tides — created hours-long congestion and underscored the city’s growing vulnerability to climate-driven urban flooding.

On Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard near Phu My Bridge, water rose above half a motorcycle wheel, forcing cars and motorbikes to inch through the inundated lanes. With large container trucks using the same route, residents described the commute as both slow and dangerous.

Similar flooding was recorded across multiple low-lying neighborhoods, including Tran Xuan Soan, Huynh Tan Phat, Thanh Da Peninsula, Vo Nguyen Giap, and stretches of National Highway 50. In several areas, traffic bottlenecks formed as vehicles diverted from submerged roads.

According to the Southern Regional Hydro-Meteorological Center, tide levels at major monitoring stations reached some of the year’s highest readings.

– Phu An and Nha Be stations: 1.70–1.75 meters, exceeding warning level 3 by up to 15 cm

– Thu Dau Mot: 1.80–1.85 meters, exceeding warning level 3 by up to 25 cm

Peak tides occurred twice, from 4:00–6:00 a.m. and 5:00–7:00 p.m., affecting both the morning and evening commuting windows.

Authorities warned that residents in low-lying and riverside areas should remain on alert for disruptions to transportation, commerce, and daily activities as climate-driven tidal patterns become more extreme. With Ho Chi Minh City planning major anti-flooding upgrades — including expanded drainage, dike reinforcement, and smart-city water management — the latest flooding serves as another urgent reminder of the city’s long-term resilience challenge.