WATCH CLIP : Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, gave his opinion.

The water level of the Red River in Hanoi this morning (September 11) reached 11.02m, only about 48cm lower than the alarm level 3. This is the highest water level in the past 20 years.

Mr. Mai Van Khiem, Director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said this afternoon: Comparing past data, the flood level on the Red River in Hanoi rose to over 11m in 2004. This was a special flood, with water levels rising rapidly and lasting for a long time. It is forecasted that the water level will continue to rise in the coming hours, but at a slower rate.

Not only the Red River, but most of the major rivers in the North such as the Thai Binh River, Thao River, and Lo River are at alert level 3.

w ngap sh 8jpg 1468.jpeg
Hanoi residents move their belongings to a safe place. Photo: Hoang Ha.

Mr. Vo Van Hoa, Director of the Hydrometeorological Station of the Northern Delta and Midlands, warned: "The risk of flooding in Hanoi is still very high in the next few days. This situation is similar to the major floods in 2006 and 2008."

Specifically in Hanoi, riverside areas such as Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, and Long Bien will be flooded. In addition, many suburban districts will also be affected by small floods, causing localized flooding.

Mr. Vu Duc Long, Director of the Department of Hydrometeorological Forecasting Management (General Department of Hydrometeorology) forecasted that by the night of September 11, floods on the Red River, Thai Binh River,... may peak and then change slowly. In the following days, flood waters on the Red River and Thai Binh River will gradually decrease.

Flooding has occurred in the areas along the Da River, Red River, Duong River and Day River.

In the next 6 hours, the water level in the main river system will continue to rise and reach 11.3m, about 20cm below alert level 3, and may then level off.

According to Mr. Long, in case the flood on the Red River reaches level 3, Hanoi's inner city is still safe and not flooded.

Authorities are closely monitoring the situation and recommending that people take proactive measures to prevent floods, protect property and ensure safety for themselves and their families.

Many places in Hanoi have heavy rain lasting for many hours . Strong convective clouds causing heavy rain from Hai Duong, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh are moving towards Hanoi. This afternoon and early afternoon, there are many places with heavy rain in the central and northern areas of Hanoi.