Heavy Rain Causes Widespread Flooding in Hanoi During Thai King’s Historic Visit
Heavy Rain Causes Widespread Flooding in Hanoi During Thai King’s Historic Visit
HANOI, Sept. 15, 2026 — Heavy rain from the evening of September 14 through the morning of September 15 caused widespread flooding across Hanoi, severely disrupting traffic as Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida continued their historic state visit to Vietnam.
Several roads and underpasses across the capital were inundated, with floodwaters making travel difficult and causing prolonged congestion during the morning rush hour.
Hanoi’s drainage authorities reported significant flooding on Dam Quang Trung, Co Linh and Vinh Hung streets, as well as several underpasses along Thang Long Boulevard and sections of National Highway 6. At some locations, water reached 20–40 centimetres deep.
Rainfall was particularly intense in several parts of the city. Yên Sở recorded about 270.4 millimetres of rain between 10 p.m. on September 14 and 6 a.m. on September 15, while several other areas recorded more than 200 mm.
The flooding caused vehicles to stall and left long lines of traffic stretching for several kilometres. At the foot of Vĩnh Tuy Bridge, some motorists were forced to push their vehicles through knee-deep water, while congestion persisted even after water levels began to recede.
The heavy rain coincided with the Thai royal couple’s state visit to Vietnam from September 14–16. On September 15, Vietnamese General Secretary and President To Lam hosted an official welcome ceremony for King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida in Hanoi. The visit is the first state visit by a Thai king and queen to Vietnam in the history of the two countries’ diplomatic relations.
Authorities continued working to drain flooded areas and manage traffic as rain remained possible across Hanoi.
