Flooding remains severe in HCMC despite huge investment
HCMC is struggling with worsening flood issues despite huge spending on anti-flood projects over the years, said a recent conclusion signed by chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong on illegal land reclamation on the city’s drainage systems. A lot of streets in the city are submerged after heavy rain. Therefore, the city will need US$4.36 billion to tackle flooding in 2016-2020, according to the HCMC Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program and the city’s Department of Planning and Investment. Many projects worth a combined VND23 trillion are underway and the city will have to mobilize some VND74.35 trillion in the next five years to fund these projects. Surveys conducted by districts showed that many canals and sewers have been clogged by construction works and garbage. The steering center said as many as 59 construction works have encroached on many sewers and canals have been obstructed by illegal land reclamation.
