The extreme weather patterns in recent years might make you worry that Vietnam’s drainage network is buckling under the pressure of rapid urbanization, but looking at these rare photos taken of a flood in Hanoi over half a century ago provides strange comfort that our soggy reality today might not be all that bizarre.
Last month, the wrath of Typhoon Yagi wreaked havoc on the majority of provinces in northern Vietnam, causing many deaths and destroying the livelihood of the people. While Hanoi was spared the worst repercussions of the storm, like devastating landslides, extended periods of heavy inundated local streets and toppled thousands of trees, paralyzing the city for hours. According to VnExpress, the rain when the storm made landfall battered the city from 2am to 7am, resulting in over 40 flooding hotspots.
In this collection of black-and-white photos, taken by a French author only known as Aubin, a particularly heavy shower on August 1, 1952 also turned Hanoian streets into “canals.” The streets were sparsely populated, so the flood didn’t seem to affect local life as much, and most commuters on bicycles could still make their way to their destinations, unlike our motorbikes today.
Have a closer look at a waterlogged Hanoi via the photos below:
A xích lô struggling to cross Trần Hưng Đạo Street.
A vintage car swam through the “river.”
A truck outside of Hàng Cỏ Train Station.
Look mom, it's a free swimming pool!
Not bothered by the wave of rainwater.
Locals living on Hàng Lọng Street.
No sidewalk.
Merchandise on the street inundated by the flood.
Thank god for non-motorized bikes.
[Photos via RedsVN]
