Quynh Luu district is dredging the Thai River to promptly drain floodwaters during the rainy season.

At the section of the Thai River passing through Quynh Hong commune, Quynh Luu district, the entire riverbed has been dredged and cleared. Ms. Nguyen Thi Tinh from Hong Nguyen hamlet, Quynh Hong commune, said: "Previously, the Thai River area was filled with silt and sediment, and even a heavy, prolonged rain would cause the river to overflow and flood houses. Now that the riverbed has been dredged, the water has drained quickly during the recent rains, preventing flooding."

Mr. Le Sy Thanh - The Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Hong commune added: The entire Quynh Hong commune has over 1,000 households in the two hamlets of Hong Nguyen and Hong Yen, all located along the Thai River, which are at risk of flooding. However, the timely dredging and widening of the Thai River has effectively improved drainage since the recent heavy rains.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Dinh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quynh Luu district, said: The Thai River is over 20 km long and serves to drain floodwaters for 8 communes in Quynh Luu district. However, for many years, this drainage system has been silted up, not to mention that many households have encroached on both sides of the river to plant trees and raise aquatic animals.

In response to this situation, in 2024, Quynh Luu district implemented a project to dredge the Thai River, aiming to clear the waterway and remove blockages in the drainage system of the Thai River, ensuring flood control and preventing flooding in 8 communes in the district, including: Quynh Hong, Quynh Giang, Quynh Dien, Quynh Hung, Quynh Lam, Ngoc Son, Quynh Hong, and Cau Giat town.

The project involves dredging and widening the Thai River along a length of over 1.6 km, starting at the Dao River sluice gate in Block 4, Cau Giat town, and ending in Quynh Dien commune. The river will be widened to 20-25 meters in width and approximately 2.5-3 meters in depth. The dredged material will be used to construct embankments (in areas where embankments are not yet in place), with a crest elevation of 3 meters.

To date, this project has reached 100% completion. Notably, the drainage system has performed quite well during the recent heavy rains, and residents living along the Thai River have not experienced flooding like in previous years.

To ensure the project effectively drains floodwaters, the district directs communes to regularly monitor, educate, and persuade people not to encroach on land on both sides of the Thai River for planting trees or aquaculture, which would obstruct the flow of water.

According to the plan for 2025, the district will continue to integrate funding sources to dredge other silted drainage canals such as the Phu Si canal in Quynh Hau and Quynh Thach communes, and the Ben Hai drainage canal in Quynh Thanh commune.