Solutions to combat flooding in Vinh City.

(Baonghean) - A reporter from Baonghean Newspaper had a conversation with Mr. Le Sy Chien - Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Vinh City - about solutions to combat flooding in Vinh City.

- Sir, this year's rainy season has caused alarming flooding in Vinh City, especially in the central wards. In some areas, the water level reached 1 meter and remained flooded for hours. The general consensus is that this is due to inadequate infrastructure. Could you elaborate?

- It's true that the city's flooding is due to infrastructure. Specifically, many old drainage systems have not been developed synchronously, and some sections or entire routes lack drainage ditches, such as Phong Dinh Cang, Nguyen Duy Trinh, Nguyen Phong Sac, Nguyen Gia Thieu, Phuong Hoang, Cao Xuan Huy, Tran Hung Dao roads, etc. Some unfinished construction projects include the ancient citadel moat; the North Canal phase 3, the 72m road; and commercial housing projects...

In addition, pile drilling projects discharge mud directly into ditches, causing blockages in water flow. Recently, the weather has been unpredictable and complex, with heavy and prolonged rainfall, overwhelming the drainage ditches; furthermore, the abundance of fallen leaves during the rainy season obstructs water collection points, causing blockages in the ditches...

Furthermore, during this period, many investment projects were implemented in the city, but some projects did not go through the coordinating agency (the City People's Committee) to agree on infrastructure connection, causing slow drainage. A typical example is the Vinh Tan Urban Area project by Hanoi Housing Company 30, which raised the ground level by 70 cm compared to the previously approved level…

Nguyen Van Cu Street (Vinh City) was flooded after the rain on November 8, 2016. Photo: Tran Nga

- We are currently in the rainy season, and the weather is becoming increasingly unpredictable. What solutions does the city have to combat flooding in the short and long term?

- Currently, the city is focusing its efforts on accelerating the progress of the Vinh sub-project under the WB project, especially for unfinished projects such as: the North Canal (phase 3), the Vinh ancient citadel moat; the regulating lake; the key flood control project (phase 3) in the area, and programs connecting drainage canals such as the T4 Canal using surplus funds from the WB project.

The city will direct and improve the organizational structure and change the management and operation of the drainage system for Vinh Urban Infrastructure Management and Development Joint Stock Company; supplement dredging and drainage ditch clearing equipment; add more water collection pits on necessary drainage ditches; plan to pump water to prevent flooding at pumping stations during sudden rains; and strictly manage high-rise building construction projects...

In the long term, the city will need to invest in the construction of several necessary medium- and long-term projects to combat flooding; establish regulations for managing infrastructure, drainage systems, and manholes, including involving the community in managing this area; allocate municipal funds for maintenance, repair, and dredging of drainage ditches; repair and replace damaged manhole covers and drainage pits; replace and supplement manholes to prevent localized flooding; dredge drainage pumping stations and water reservoirs; and develop an investment project to build an 80m drainage canal and the Rao Dung drainage pumping station to definitively resolve the drainage issues of the northern wards and communes of the city.

Unfinished construction projects are also one of the causes of flooding.

At the same time, the city also requested the Provincial People's Committee to continue prioritizing investment capital for the construction of WB projects in the area; and to promote ODA projects from ADB in 2018 (dredging and embankment of Vinh River, Rao Dung pumping station, renovation of some inner-city drainage culverts).

Thank you for the conversation!

Pearl

(Perform)