Urgently prevent disaster… from heaven

The recent thunderstorms that have rained down on Ho Chi Minh City always make the mother and daughter of Do Thi Ngoc Hoa (living in Ward 5, District 10) tremble in fear. After many years of trading on Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, her mother and daughter have witnessed many times with their own eyes an ancient tree that suddenly uprooted and fell after every heavy rain.

Not in the rainy season was worried

Hoa said that every time she heard thunder and lightning, her heart fluttered, she had to rush to clean up the goods and wait until the next day before she dared to display them again. Because the green trees look so solid at first glance, but don’t know when it will fall.

According to Ms. Hoa, the regular pruning of branches by workers in the area along this road helps her and many people here feel more secure. “Hopefully the authorities will regularly check and take care of the trees. Any tree showing signs of decay or underdevelopment should be relocated or cut down to avoid causing harm to people, especially when Ho Chi Minh City is about to enter. rainy season”, Ms. Hoa expressed.

An employee of Ho Chi Minh City Green Park One Member Co., Ltd. handles the incident of a fallen tree in front of the Oncology Hospital gate on the afternoon of March 28. (Photo: LE VINH)

Hoa’s worries are not unfounded, because Ho Chi Minh City has just recorded a case of a tree suddenly falling, causing many people to howl. Accordingly, on the afternoon of March 28, when a thunderstorm came for just a few minutes, the old tree at the intersection of Nguyen Huy Luong – No Trang Long (in front of the gate of Cancer Hospital, Binh Thanh District) suddenly fell onto the road and crushed it. up to 2 cars.

As a witness to the old tree in front of the Oncology Hospital falling, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Dung (47 years old, motorbike taxi driver) said that this section is in front of the hospital gate, so it is always crowded. Fortunately, the incident happened while it was raining, no one was standing here, so no one was injured.

According to Mr. Dung, this ancient tree has been around for decades, everyone is surprised because the tree looks green and sturdy, but it only takes a short rain to uproot. “Every time we enter the rainy season, we worry about falling trees, which is very dangerous to the lives of road users. I hope the authorities will take measures to take care of and inspect the quality of trees to limit them. These accidents fell from the sky,” Dung expressed.

Many solutions to ensure safety

Mr. Le Dinh Quyet, Deputy Head of Forecasting Department – Hydrometeorological Station of the Southern region, said that Ho Chi Minh City is in the transition of seasons. This year the rainy season comes early, it is forecasted to start from April 14, about 15 days earlier than every year.

According to Mr. Le Dinh Quyet, during the change of seasons, rain often occurs in the afternoon and evening on a background of high heat and high air humidity, which will be favorable conditions for the formation of thunderstorms, whirlwinds, gusts, etc. Falling trees, breaking up corrugated iron roofs, billboards.

“People need to be very cautious, absolutely do not stay, park under trees. In addition, there will be heavy rains locally causing flooding, especially in low-lying areas such as Nha Be, District 8, Binh District. Therefore, households living in those areas need to raise their furniture in their houses so that their property is not damaged,” Quyet advised.

Talking to a reporter from Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper, a representative of the Technical Department – Ho Chi Minh City Green Park Company Limited, said that from the beginning of 2022, the unit has reviewed and re-checked all the trees planted by the unit. take care of, promptly detect and handle unsafe green trees. The trees that are at risk of falling are often concentrated in riverbanks, harbours, riverbanks, canals, at intersections, roundabouts or next to high-rise buildings.

“Through inspection, plants that are diseased, rotten, or slanted will immediately be proposed by the investor to the investor for a suitable treatment plan. Tall trees that pose a risk of unsafety will be lowered. In addition, the unit also sends staff to regularly patrol the area to detect dry branches, heavy branches, dangerous trees, etc. to report and handle according to regulations” – representative of the Department Technology – Ho Chi Minh City Green Park One Member Co., Ltd. information.

Many unfortunate accidents

Last year’s rainy season, Ho Chi Minh City continuously recorded many accidents caused by fallen trees. On February 8, 2021, heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms covered all districts, causing many tree branches to be broken, in which, in the residential area of ​​Phu My Hung (District 7) a large tree uprooted on top of a car. 7 seats and many other two-wheelers.

Trees uprooted and crushed 7-seat cars and many other two-wheelers in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City during the rain on April 12, 2021. (Photo: Y Linh)

On April 12, 2021, also in District 7, the Mazda CX9 car was crushed by an old tree more than ten meters high, causing damage, the driver stuck inside had to ask for help. On the morning of July 3, 2021, a rainstorm was not heavy, but strong winds knocked tamarind trees on Thach Lam Street, Tan Phu District down, cutting many power lines and telecommunications cables, breaking an electric pole and pressing on the roof. a car.

On July 19, 2021, a tree about 7 m high on Ton Duc Thang Street (District 1) fell because of heavy rain and wind, and fell on Mr. Do Tan Khoa (34 years old, from Soc Trang), causing the victim to be hospitalized. , the motorcycle was badly damaged. On the same day, a tree on Ly Tu Trong Street (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) fell and blocked the road, making traffic difficult and one person injured.

Recently, on the evening of February 9, a tree with a diameter of 30 cm and a height of 15 m on the sidewalk of Chu Manh Trinh street, Binh Tho ward, Thu Duc city suddenly fell on top of the mother and daughter’s running motorbike, making them seriously injured. Worth mentioning, many people are worried because the incident took place while it was not raining.

According to nld.com.vn