Ho Chi Minh City’s VND 10 Trillion Tidal Flood Control Project Set to Begin Operations by Year-End
Major works on Ho Chi Minh City’s VND 10 trillion tidal flood control project are 94% to 100% complete, with further work planned for November 2026 and operations expected by year-end. The project covers about 570 square kilometers and affects roughly 6.5 million people, but gaps in flood defenses and drainage connections remain. Its full impact on flooding has yet to be tested.
The first phase of Ho Chi Minh City’s “Tidal Flooding Control Project Taking Climate Change into Account” has an investment of VND 10 trillion. Its main works are 94% to 100% complete, with further work expected in November 2026 before operations begin by year-end. The project’s protected area covers about 570 square kilometers and includes roughly 6.5 million people.
A tidal floodgate in the first phase of Ho Chi Minh City’s tidal flood control project.（VietVance）
The project uses gates on rivers and canals, pumping stations and embankments to control tidal water. According to the investor, the embankment system has 24 pump units with a combined drainage capacity of 14.4 cubic meters per second. The system can also regulate water levels in waterways within the protected area to facilitate rainwater drainage. Flooding may still occur, however, if heavy rainfall exceeds the capacity of the internal drainage system or tidal water enters through gaps that have yet to be closed.
At around 3 p.m. on October 10, tidal water spilled onto Tran Xuan Soan Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Thuan Ward despite sunny weather. Local residents are concerned about whether roads like this will still flood after the project begins operating.
At around 3 p.m. on October 10, 2026, tidal water spilled onto Tran Xuan Soan Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan Thuan Ward.（VietVance）
Nguyễn Tâm Thịnh, chairman of the investor, Trung Nam Group, said the project could largely address tidal flooding, but some gaps still needed to be closed. The city government must also seal 19 vulnerable points. Ho Chi Minh City’s 2026 drainage and flood prevention plan, issued on July 24, calls for supporting works and for a plan to close gaps across the roughly 570-square-kilometer protected area in 2026–2027.
At an October 29 press conference, a representative of Ho Chi Minh City’s Department of Construction said the existing drainage network was designed for rainfall of 85.36 millimeters over three hours and a tidal level of 1.32 meters, among other parameters. Once operational, the tidal flood control project could improve drainage by regulating water levels in major waterways. Its effectiveness will still depend on closing gaps and on the capacity of the internal drainage system; rainfall exceeding the network’s design parameters could still cause flooding.
Source: VietVance
