Tan Son Nhat's drainage systems consist of Hy Vong Canal, Nhat Ban Canal and A41 Canal.
The Ho Chi Minh City Urban Flood Control Steering Center recently urged the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh city to upgrade and renovate Hy Vong Canal in Tan Binh District in order to alleviate Tan Son Nhat airport's flooding issue, Lao Dong reports. The cost of the project is estimated to be US$6.7 million.
Hy Vong Canal, a tiny stream on the west side of the aerodrome, has been heavily polluted and clogged for several years, which hinders its water drainage function. This causes airport flooding as well as affects the livelihood of residents along the two-kilometer-long canal. The Hy Vong Canal renovation project belongs to a major anti-flooding project called Tham Luong-Ben Cat-Nuoc Len Canal project, which was approved in early 2013 with the original budget coming directly from the city's funding.
In 2014, World Bank granted a US$400 million ODA (official development assistance) package to the anti-flooding project, but later cut off their funding, causing the project to be halted halfway.
According to the city's Urban Flood Control Steering Center, renovating the Hy Vong Canal is an important and urgent need without being too much of a financial burden on the city's budget.
Much of Saigon faces the risk of flooding every rainy season, and the area surrounding Tan Son Nhat is no exception. The runways of the airport are frequently inundated after downpours, threatening potential shutdowns.
[Photo via VOV]
