HÀ NỘI – Hà Nội plans to install cameras at 15 locations at risk of flooding throughout the city, to better supervise the level of rising waters and put in place timely measures to avoid flooding during heavy rainfalls.

At a conference on natural disaster prevention and control yesterday, director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Chu Phú Mỹ said there were 15 flood-prone locations in the city, when rainfall averaged at least 50mm in two hours.

Three of the 15 locations likely to suffer flooding were located in Bắc Từ Liêm, Đông Anh, and Phúc Thọ districts.

The remaining 12 locations were in Ba Vì, Phúc Thọ, Đan Phượng, Thường Tín and Phú Xuyên districts.

Most of the flood control system, however, had not received enough funding to keep pace with urbanisation, he said.

Mỹ noted that flooding was caused by the high density of construction and excessive waste caused by a lack of knowledge among the public about littering.

Currently, the city was investing in building a number of water drainage pumping stations in some areas. As planned, the pumping stations would be completed by 2020.

During this rainy season, Yên Nghĩa pumping station, which cost more than VNĐ7.4 trillion and had the capacity to drain 6,300 hectares of districts in the west of the city, is to be put into operation. However, waterlogged areas are still likely to occur, in case of heavy rainfalls, he said.

At present, the city has only completed the construction of a drainage system in 77.5 square kilometres of the inner city in Tô Lịch, Lừ, Sét, and Kim Ngưu rivers, which could handle flooding of 300 mm in two days.

The remaining areas, such as in Long Biên, Hà Đông, Nam Từ Liêm and part of the northern Từ Liêm District, have not been funded for the construction of drainage systems.

Also, the Liên Mạc pumping station, with a capacity of 90 cubic metres per second, Gia Thượng and Cự Khối pumping stations, with a capacity of 65 cubic metres per second, are under construction.

Mỹ said that the Department of Construction planned to install 15 flood monitoring cameras to simulate flood-prone localities and provide solutions to reduce flooding.

The department would supervise workers, who work around the clock, to resolve water drainage problems during heavy rainfalls, and set up a hotline to receive information about incidents happening during the stormy season.

The city has asked authorised agencies to prepare the tools and transport to deal with floods, when needed. – VNS