Water hyacinths are 'suffocating' flood drainage gates.

At this time, at the Nghi Quang sluice gate (Nghi Loc district), water hyacinths have accumulated densely in the area around the sluice gates, causing blockages in the water flow. Workers are taking turns removing and pushing the water hyacinths. Mr. Hoang Van Huong, head of the Nghi Quang sluice gate station, said: The Nghi Quang sluice gate drains floodwaters for Nghi Loc, Hung Nguyen, Vinh City districts and a part of Nam Dan district.

The sluice gate has 13 electrically operated gates, all of which have been raised since September 7th, with a discharge flow rate exceeding 280 m³.³The current difficulty is that the amount of water hyacinth flowing in from various places is too much. Every day, the unit has to mobilize 6-8 workers to use poles to push the water hyacinth right at the mouth of the drain all day long. As soon as one clump of hyacinth is pushed away, another one is pulled in.

Due to the excessive amount of water hyacinth, rapid flood drainage becomes very difficult during heavy rainy seasons. The current issue is that the unit needs the cooperation of both the people and the local government to remove the water hyacinth and quickly clear the waterways for effective flood drainage during the rainy season.

Not to mention that the Bara Nghi Quang sluice gate currently has many dilapidated components, such as most of the sluice gate system being damaged, causing limitations in operation. Before the rainy season, the unit had to hire divers and machinery to remove the wooden wedges reinforcing the sluice gates to ensure unobstructed flood drainage. During the rice irrigation season, they have to hire divers to seal the sluice gates to prevent saltwater intrusion.

At the same time, at the Ben Thuy sluice gate (Ben Thuy ward, Vinh city), workers are making efforts to push water hyacinths away from the sluice gates using poles. Mr. Le Dinh Nam - Head of the Ben Thuy Sluice Gate Management Station said: This is a key irrigation project that helps prevent saltwater intrusion, retain freshwater, and drain floodwaters for Vinh city, Hung Nguyen district, and Nam Dan district.

This structure has 10 sluice gates currently discharging water at a level of 235 m.³However, water hyacinths, tree trunks, and other debris have been accumulating at the drain opening. For the past week, the unit has had to assign workers wearing life jackets to be on duty overnight to clear the water hyacinths and ensure proper drainage.

Besides the 4B drainage culvert in Quynh Thanh commune, Quynh Luu district, which drains floodwaters for the communes of Quynh Thach, Quynh Hong, Quynh Van, and Quynh Ba, the area around this culvert is currently covered with water hyacinth, making flood drainage very difficult. During the rainy season, workers at the 4B culvert in Quynh Thanh commune have to take turns removing the water hyacinth right at the culvert's opening to allow floodwaters to drain.

Before the rainy season, Quynh Luu district implemented a dredging project along the Thai River, covering a length of 1.5km from Cau Giat - Quynh Luu town to Quynh Hong and Quynh Dien communes, in order to remove water hyacinths, clear the canal, and minimize flooding.

At the Dien Thanh and Dien Thuy drainage sluices in Dien Ngoc commune, workers are simultaneously operating the drainage system and actively removing water hyacinths right at the sluice gates.

A representative from the Nghe An Irrigation Department stated that Nghe An currently has over 20 large and small drainage systems, such as the Nghi Quang Canal, Ben Thuy Canal, Binh Son drainage canal in Quynh Hung commune, and the 4B drainage canal in Quynh Thanh commune, Thuong Xa canal, Dien Thanh drainage canal, Dien Thuy canal, etc.

Currently, only the Dien Thanh sluice gate has been upgraded; most others are dilapidated and difficult to operate during the rainy season. The agricultural sector has directed irrigation units and workers to closely monitor the area, be on duty 24/7, and release water according to the principle of "draining tides and draining floodwaters"; ensuring the safety of people during the rainy season and storms.