For a day and a half ride-hailing services in Ho Chi Minh City ground to a halt in face of the flood, unable to respond to the booming demand, while traditional taxi companies braved the elements to harvest a bumper crop. D1 street in Ho Chi Minh City's Binh Thanh district at 8 AM on November 26. Source: vnexpress.net Due to the impacts of storm Usagi, the ninth storm to hit Vietnam this year, Ho Chi Minh City has seen heavy rainfalls since Sunday (November 25), causing severe flooding and holding up traffic. Under these circumstances, residents increased the demands for taxi and ride-hailing services. However, even as they are willing to pay twice or three times as much as usual for ride-hailing, thousands complained that they could not get a bike or car because the systems seemed to be disabled. "I could not book a GrabBike, so I changed to GrabCar, which asked for double or even triple the price. In the evening, it took my colleague 2 hours to get a car from District 3 to … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City under water stuns ride hailers
Ho chi minh city weather
Hurricane Usagi triggers downpour in Ho Chi Minh City
The weather condition is being impacted by the tropical typhoon number 9- Usagi. According to the latest news from the National Hydrology Meteorology Forecast Center, the Usagi was centered at around 9.7 degrees north latitude and 109 degrees east longitude; at about 100 kilometers of the Phu Quy Island, 180 kilometers of the Phan Thiet city, 230 kilometers of Vung Tau and 270 kilometers of Ben Tre province with its peak wind ranging 75- 100 kilometers per hour. Within next 24- 24 hours, Usagi is predicted to move the westward at 10-15 kilometers an hour, to make landfall in provinces from Binh Thuan to Ben Tre before it will weaken into a tropical low pressure system. By 10am tomorrow, the tropical depression will be at 10.5 degrees north latitude and 106.3 degrees east longitude in the land of southern region. The maximum wind near the center is warned to reach 40- 50 kilometers an hour. The dangerous zone on the East Sea in next 24 hours is paralleled in 8.5- … [Read more...] about Hurricane Usagi triggers downpour in Ho Chi Minh City
Fireworks illuminate Ho Chi Minh City on Reunification Day
The show took place from 9:00p.m. to 9:15p.m. on April 30 with the cost covered by benefactors and enterprises in the city. The show was also broadcast live on the Ho Chi Minh City Television. The PANO would like introduce some images of the fireworks show at Dam Sen Park. At 9p.m., the fireworks display began. Explosions of light illuminate Ho Chi Minh City. Fireworks display Colorful pyrotechnics illuminating the evening sky Luckily, good weather help the public enjoy the spectacle. Translated by Lam Anh … [Read more...] about Fireworks illuminate Ho Chi Minh City on Reunification Day
Students prepare for natural disasters in Ho Chi Minh city
In 2017, Viet Nam was hit by 16 typhoons. More than four million people were affected by floods, mudslides and landslides caused by heavy winds and downpours. Thousands of houses were damaged, communities evacuated, and tens of thousands of hectares of crops were destroyed.The coastal city of HCMC in particular has been affected by increasing incidents of weather related emergencies. The city and its 13 million residents are struggling with storm surges andPhoto: UNDPTo improve disaster preparedness and resilience, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Viet Nam Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development support schools to evaluate their disaster risk, design emergency procedures and conduct emergency evacuation drills. The activities are organized under the “Schools of Son Tinh” campaign, supported by the Government of Japan.“Children, who hold the future of the country, are vulnerable to natural disasters. … [Read more...] about Students prepare for natural disasters in Ho Chi Minh city
Audi car smashed by falling scaffold in unseasonal rain in Ho Chi Minh City
An unseasonal rain in several parts of Ho Chi Minh City caught commuters off-guard early on Friday night, sending a scaffold at a construction site in District 1 to give way, crushing over two vehicles, including an Audi, parked beneath. The unusual rain lasted for approximately half an hour along with strong gusts, forcing many motorcyclists without raincoats rush to take shelter under the eaves of nearby houses. While waiting for traffic light on Cach Mang Thang 8 Street in District 1, two cars, a Toyota and an Audi, were heavily damaged as a scaffold, hit by strong gusts, fell over them. The luxury car’s owner cheated death as he remained intact after a metal bar falling along with the scaffold just hit the windshield of his vehicle. A piece of metal bar hits the Audi windshield, right in front of the driver’s seat. Photo: Tuoi Tre The incident caused traffic congestion on the busy street until 9:00 PM. Traffic is slowed down on Cach Mang Thang Tam Street … [Read more...] about Audi car smashed by falling scaffold in unseasonal rain in Ho Chi Minh City
Prolonged delays exhaust flyers at Ho Chi Minh City airport
Many passengers were forced to wait for a long time at a major airport in Ho Chi Minh City as multiple flights were delayed for up to 12 hours on Saturday. A series of flights operated by low-cost carriers Vietjet and Jetstar Pacific, which were scheduled for the Ho Chi Minh City to northern Vietnam route, were postponed for long hours. Flyers had no choice but to wait at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. As of 7:00 pm, many people could not hide the exhaustion and frustration as they had been waiting since the morning. Passengers sit on the floor as they wait for their flights. Photo: Tuoi Tre Hoang Thi Thuy, who was supposed to take off to the north-central province of Nghe An at 9:25 am, said that her flight, VJ 226, had been put off to 10:00 pm the same day. “I arrived at the airport in the morning and was informed that my flight was postponed to 7:00 pm,” Thuy recounted. “I returned home and came back to the airdrome in the afternoon, only to find out … [Read more...] about Prolonged delays exhaust flyers at Ho Chi Minh City airport
Unseasonal rains dampen Ho Chi Minh City, southern provinces
Unseasonal rains in Ho Chi Minh City and other southern Vietnamese provinces caught local residents off guard on Thursday. The rains lasted between 30 and 45 minutes in the evening and night across a major portion of the southern region, including Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Phuoc, Long An, and Ben Tre Provinces. According to Le Dinh Quyet, an official from the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, the unseasonal rainfall was brought about by a subtropical ridge pushing humid air from the East Vietnam Sea toward the mainland. The unseasonal weather pattern is expected to continue in southern Vietnam through Saturday, Quyet added. Average temperatures in the region during this period are forecast at 23 to 33 degrees Celsius. A student is soaked by the unusual rain. Photo: Tuoi Tre While most residents are surprised by the unusual downpours, owners of local plant and flower gardens worry that the weather pattern may compromise their business preparations for the … [Read more...] about Unseasonal rains dampen Ho Chi Minh City, southern provinces
Prolonged mist shrouds parts of Ho Chi Minh City
A number of areas in Ho Chi Minh City have been covered by a thick blanket of fog since Tuesday morning. According to experts, the fog developed primarily due to high air humidity. Local residents woke up to a cloud of mist that surrounded not just many parts of the city but also several neighboring provinces. The phenomenon is primarily caused by an increased amount of air moisture, said Le Dinh Quyet, deputy director of the weather forecast department at the Southern Regional Hydrometeorological Center. Mist blurs the view of parts of Ho Chi Minh City on January 16, 2018. Photo: Tuoi Tre The measured humidity level in Ho Chi Minh City reached 96-97 percent on Tuesday, while Binh Phuoc and Dong Nai Provinces faced the maximum figure, 100 per cent. Cloudiness is also part of the cause. In a city with heavy traffic like Ho Chi Minh City, the exhaust gases make the mist seem stronger, and therefore, lead the city’s inhabitants to perceive the fog as being more dangerous. … [Read more...] about Prolonged mist shrouds parts of Ho Chi Minh City
Cold weather to continue across Vietnam
Provinces and cities across Vietnam are experiencing the coldest period of the year, and the weather is forecast to continue for another five to seven days.According to the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting, an enhanced cold spell has been affecting northern Vietnam, causing temperatures to drop to eight degrees Celsius, and below five degrees in mountainous areas, at the beginning of this week.The summit of Fansipan, the country’s highest mountain peak in northern Lao Cai Province, has been covered by a layer of snow as temperatures dropped to minus one degree Celsius on Tuesday.The frigid weather is expected to continue.From December 19 to 21, temperatures are predicted to drop to between nine and 12 degrees Celsius in the delta and from six to nine degrees Celsius in mountainous areas.In Hanoi, the mercury is anticipated to drop as low as eight degrees Celsius, while the difference in temperature between day and night may be five to seven degrees.An enhanced … [Read more...] about Cold weather to continue across Vietnam
VND weathers Fed rate hike
What is your view on the dong's performance against the USD throughout 2017? Do you think the central bank has done well in keeping the dong stable so far this year?Yes, the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) has done well in keeping the dong stable against the USD this year, resulting in a 0.19 per cent appreciation in the interbank FX rate year to date (YTD). The policy of allowing daily fluctuations in the central rate, which was first introduced at the beginning of 2016, has proven effective in removing speculative pressures. At the same time, zero USD interest rates have helped to lower demand for the greenback. However, SBV has also received help from external agents. The dollar has been globally weak, with the Dollar Index Spot (DXY) declining 9 per cent YTD, indicating that in fact, the dong should be even stronger.There have also been strong foreign currency flows coming to Vietnam. Robust exports have resulted in a trade surplus of $2.8 billion through November. Disbursed foreign … [Read more...] about VND weathers Fed rate hike