Ho Chi Minh City will spend VND390 billion ($20.4 million) to implement anti-flood projects in the first half to reduce 40% of the submerged places this year, an environment official of the city said. Do Tan Long, head of the municipal Center for Flood Control’s Drainage System Management Division is quoted by the Thoi bao Kinh te Saigon Online newspaper as saying Wednesday said that the city has 96 regularly submerged places.
In Jan-June, the city will focus on upgrading the drainage systems in districts 5, 6, 11 and speed up the construction of an anti-flood work in Cho Lon bus station and Phu Lam pumping station, Long added.
Last year, the city spent VND340 billion ($17.8 million) for 37 anti-flood projects, Long added. The city, which is listed among the 10 cities that are the most vulnerable to climate change, plans to spend VND10 trillion ($523.56 million) for anti-flood projects by 2012. The city is estimated to lose VND1.5 trillion - VND2 trillion ($78.5 million - $104.7 million) due to submergences and floods a year.
