Authorities in HCM City have vowed to contain four-fifths of the city's flood zones by next year.

Nguyen Thanh  Chung, director of the Department of Transport, made the commitment at the 16th working session of the HCM City People’s Council this morning, which was reviewing the year's socio-economic development and outlining measures to reach the goals of next year’s plan.

Chung said one third of HCM City was affected by flood tides in the Mekong Delta. Climate change would likely mean more frequent flood tides and more rain.

The city has planned a system of new drains to improve the situation, which would require major investment, he said.

In 2011, the city set a goal to resolve 58 flood hotspots, including 31 in the inner-city area. By 2013, the inner-city had only six flood hotspots, though of 49 hotspots resolved 33 had again become problem areas. A further 29 flood hotspots had been identified.

Chung conceded that projects such as the Tan Son Nhat Airport and the Hanoi Highway had caused the creation of new flood points because natural water flows had been disturbed.

He said the city aims to remove 80 percent of flood hotspots by 2015 and have all under control by 2020.

Chung said VND600 billion (USD28.6 million) had been allocated to flood control, and HCM City would have 30 reservoirs in place next year.

Dtinews/VNN