Preventing urban flooding in the rainy season: Need to be thorough and synchronous

Faced with this situation, the government and relevant agencies have made continuous efforts and implemented a series of drastic and synchronous solutions, gradually finding solutions to the "problem" of preventing urban flooding.

Hot issue after the rain

In early August 2025, when heavy rains fell, flooding on key traffic routes in urban areas of Dong Nai province became a "hot" issue, causing concern for people and a major challenge for local authorities' management. Flooding not only occurred in low-lying areas, but also spread to many key traffic routes, hindering traffic activities and daily activities of people.

Flooded areas after heavy rain were recorded as: Trang Dai intersection (Trang Dai ward and Tan Trieu ward), Dong Khoi street (Tam Hiep ward), National Highway 51 (Long Hung ward), National Highway 1 (Long Binh ward and Tam Hiep ward), Tran Phu - Ly Thai To intersection (Nhon Trach commune), Hung Vuong street (through Nhon Trach commune and Phuoc An commune)... These are all places where just one heavy rain can cause vehicles and pedestrians to have difficulty moving through flooded water.

According to the Department of Construction, one of the reasons for this situation is that the urban drainage system in Dong Nai has not kept up with the rapid development of infrastructure, population and traffic. In many places, the sewer and ditch systems can only partially drain the flow when there is unusually heavy rain, causing water to easily stagnate over large areas.

Besides the infrastructure factor, another very important cause that can be clearly seen after each rain is people's awareness. On many roads, sewers and ditches are equipped with iron covers to drain rainwater, but the common image is that every time it rains, a large amount of waste... flows with the water and sticks to the sewer mouths and drainage ditches, hindering the drainage process.

Mr. Cao Cong Hau (residing in Long Hung ward) said: “Every time there is heavy rain, the area near Long Binh Tan market and National Highway 51 is flooded. Sometimes the flood is so deep that vehicles stall, forcing people to walk, posing a potential risk of accidents because they cannot see the “potholes” and deep holes under the water.”

To completely solve the problem of flooding in Dong Nai’s urban areas, a comprehensive strategy is needed, including investment, upgrading infrastructure, applying modern technology in regulation, warning and most importantly, raising awareness of each citizen. Only when the government, functional agencies and citizens act together, can Dong Nai limit flooding even on days of heavy rain, moving towards a more modern urban appearance.

Government and people together to fight floods

Faced with the frequent flooding on the above-mentioned routes, authorities at all levels and functional agencies of Dong Nai province have made continuous efforts to deploy synchronous solutions from short-term to long-term to overcome and minimize this situation. In addition to infrastructure construction projects, warning, traffic regulation and raising public awareness have also received special attention.

Party Secretary and Chairman of the People's Council of Phuoc An Commune, Do Huy Khanh, said: Key routes at risk of deep flooding such as areas near canals or low-lying intersections are all equipped with police, militia and rapid response teams to direct traffic and guide vehicles to travel safely. At the same time, local authorities also promptly notify and provide flexible traffic control plans, helping people quickly grasp information to have reasonable travel plans.

Chairman of Trang Dai Ward People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Kien said: The government has mobilized people to check, clean, collect accumulated garbage and covering objects at water intakes that obstruct drainage. In particular, people need to put household garbage in the right place, at the right collection time of the environmental sanitation unit, not leave garbage at water intake locations that obstruct drainage, ensure effective water collection, and limit flooding during heavy rains.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Mai (residing in Tran Bien ward) said: “To solve the problem of flooding in urban areas, the cooperation of the community is needed. Especially, raising people's awareness in maintaining environmental hygiene, not littering, along with close coordination between functional agencies in the management and supervision of the construction of flood prevention projects”.

In the long term, many flood prevention projects have been and are being implemented. Typically, the Project to Upgrade the Traffic Road and Drainage System of the Red Cross Route (Long Khanh Ward) or the Flood Prevention Project at Chua Stream, Ba Lua Stream and Cau Quan Stream (through Phuoc Tan Ward and Long Hung Ward) are also being accelerated.

Dang Tung

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/xa-hoi/202508/chong-ngap-do-thi-mua-mua-can-triet-de-va-dong-bo-7a7274d/