To help Saigoneers combat any future stormageddon events, city officials are considering an SMS alert system to warn local residents of flooding.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few days, chances are you experienced the three consecutive bouts of heavy rain which stormed into Saigon this week, backing up the city's drainage system and reducing the number of local flooding hotspots to one: the entire city. Monday's epic storm saw the heaviest rainfall the city has experienced in 40 years, wreaking havoc on Saigon's streets and spawning scores of wonderful memes.
In order to make life easier for city-dwellers, the Steering Center of the Urban Flood Control Program of Ho Chi Minh City is currently developing a comprehensive flood management project for any future deluge, reports Tuoi Tre.
According to the agency, the project will include a map of flooding hotspots in the city during the rainy season with appropriate adjustments for tidal movements, if necessary. The program will be funded by the World Bank and should be ready for perusal before 2017’s rainy season begins, provided a loan agreement is reached.
Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Le Van Khoa recently requested that the center expedite the work needed to finish the project. He also agreed with a proposed communication channel – SMS warning messages – to alert residents of potential floods. Additionally, the plan suggests informing citizens through radio programs, which are already being used by traffic agencies to report traffic congestion.
[Photo via Zing]
