On the morning of September 14, according to reporters of Lao Dong Newspaper, the peak tide surge coincided with peak hours (from 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM), the time when thousands of workers, laborers and students poured into the streets.
On National Highway 91 (August Revolution), water from the sewer system and rivers and canals overflowed and surrounded the entire road surface. Many sections were deeply flooded from 30 - 50cm, overflowing the sidewalk, causing the road surface to turn into a "river".
Because this is a key road connecting wards such as: O Mon, Thoi An Dong, Thot Not... with the center of Can Tho City, the traffic volume is very crowded. Water flooded more than half of the wheels, causing a series of motorbikes to turn off.
Observations show that long lines of people move little by little in the water, struggling to walk to find a place to repair their cars or trying to squeeze themselves through the flooded point.
Struggling to lead his motorbike carrying his child to school in the floodwaters across his thighs, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh (Binh Thuy ward) shared that National Highway 91, which is already crowded in normal days, is now deeply flooded, causing traffic to almost stagnate.
To respond, the Traffic Police force as well as local functional sectors have deployed troops along National Highway 91 to divert and regulate traffic and support people to push stalled vehicles out of deep water.
Not only causing disadvantages to traffic on National Highway 91, the high tide also caused the Binh Thuy market area to be flooded. Due to being located in a low-lying terrain near the river, the tide surged and overflowed through the walkways in the market, disrupting the daily life and trading activities of small traders.
According to the Can Tho City Hydrometeorological Station, the highest peak tide level measured at Can Tho Hydrological Station on the morning of September 14 at 6:30 am is 2.25m (0.25m above alarm level III). It is forecast that the peak in the afternoon at 7 pm will be 2.27m (0.27m above alarm level III).
The project to upgrade and expand National Highway 91 section Km0-Km7 has a total investment of more than 7,237 billion VND, about 7km long, passing through Ninh Kieu, Cai Khe, Binh Thuy and Thoi An Dong wards. According to the plan, the route expansion will be completed in June 2027, and the entire project will be completed in December 2027.
According to the Can Tho City Traffic and Agricultural Construction Investment Project Management Board, the project progress currently largely depends on site clearance and technical infrastructure relocation.
To date, 1,095 affected cases have been approved for compensation plans with a total budget of more than 2,447 billion VND. Of which, 1,031 cases have received money, reaching 94.16%; and 64 cases have not received, with an amount of more than 265 billion VND.
The land has been handed over 13,017/14,086m, reaching 92.41%, and 1,069m has not been handed over, mainly in Binh Thuy ward with 858m.
The actual construction value to date has reached more than 193 billion VND/1.547 billion VND, equivalent to 12.5%. Contractors are constructing drainage systems, technical trenches and expanded roadbeds. Binh Thuy bridge alone has constructed 60/603 bored piles.
According to the plan, the clean site must be handed over in September 2026 to ensure the progress of completing the planned items.
