Numerous residents of Hanoi found themselves trapped at home or had to return due to heavy rainfall from Storm Kajiki, which caused widespread flooding across all main roads on Tuesday.

At 5 a.m., Thu Huong, aged 34, stirred awake at her residence close to Thang Long Avenue in An Khanh Ward as she heard rainfall beating against her window.

She observed that the street beneath her apartment was covered with a layer of water, and there were no cars visible. Within her building’s Zalo chat group, neighbors exchanged suggestions for alternative paths, but each one ended up being flooded.

Huong lives in the Trung Hoa – Nhan Chinh city district, which is also where her fourth-grade son attends school, located six kilometers away from their residence.

Following an hour spent considering every possibility, she allowed him to remain at home. At 7 a.m., she attempted to leave the house, intending to drive her motorcycle along the highway’s regular vehicle lane. “I was ready to go three kilometers farther than normal,” she mentioned.

However, as she reached the highway ramp, she noticed motorcycles and vehicles stuck in the water, causing a lengthy traffic jam.

Numerous individuals abandoned their plan to go to work and headed back instead. Huong also went back home, where her niece mentioned upon returning from Le Trong Tan Street: “The water was very deep and traffic had come to a standstill. There was no possibility of moving ahead.”

Water levels observed beneath the An Khanh Overpass at dawn on August 26, 2025. Image: ThuHuong.

At 6 a.m. in Tu Liem Ward, 37-year-old Ngoc Nga noticed several messages in her three-year-old child’s “parent” group. Eventually, 22 out of their 23 kids remained at home.

Nga didn’t have anyone available to look after her daughter at home, so she persuaded a neighbor, who wasn’t working, to help out. “I work in Hoàn Kiếm District and had some urgent matters this morning, which required me to go to the office,” she explained.

Bao Quoc, aged 25, covered a distance of five kilometers from Cau Giay Ward to Ba Dinh Ward for work. Without access to ride-hailing services, he rode his motorcycle through flooded areas where the water reached half the wheel height and navigated narrow streets near Cau Giay Park.

However, when he arrived at Dao Tan Street, the water had risen to his knees, and many vehicles were stuck. His own vehicle also malfunctioned, so he left it at a friend’s house on Buoi Street and continued cycling. “When roads become flooded, walking or biking is safer,” he remarked.

National Highway 6 is experiencing severe traffic congestion due to water accumulation reaching almost one meter in depth, causing numerous vehicles and motorcycles to break down. Photo by VnExpress/ Gia Chinh

Dozens of motorcycles were parked outside a service center located on Dao Tan Street. The proprietor, Hong Thanh, mentioned: “My mobile device hasn’t stopped buzzing all day. Many individuals reached out for assistance due to the flooding.”

Numerous individuals attempted to continue their journey to work following the repairs, although several abandoned the effort and went back home. Typhoon Kajiki caused significant downpours in Hanoi on August 25 and during the early hours of August 26. Several locations recorded precipitation between 150 and 200 millimeters.

Thuong Tin recorded over 160 mm of rainfall within eight hours. Almost 40 areas experienced flooding, causing transportation disruptions. The municipal drainage authority has activated all pump stations at maximum efficiency to remove the water. “It’s safer to remain at home today rather than face the danger of walking through floodwaters and dealing with car repair costs,” said Nga, who successfully made it to her workplace.

Two of her coworkers could not reach the office because their cars broke down on the road. However, numerous individuals had no choice but to head to work even with the flood conditions.

Bich Ngoc, an instructor based at Thanh Xuan Ward, mentioned that her university organized a welcome event for new students early that day, which left her with no choice but to bring her three-year-old daughter to school during the heavy rain.

The journey was slightly more than a kilometer long, yet the child was completely wet, along with her extra clothing.

Ngoc took some extra clothing for her daughter and quickly headed toward the subway station to make it to work on schedule. During the ride, she messaged her child’s teacher requesting a diaper for her child to use during lunchtime. “It breaks my heart to watch my child head off to school in such weather.”