As the monsoon season approaches, Hanoi authorities have developed several scenarios to cope with flooding to protect people and their produce.

Hoang Nam Son, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Construction, said his department had come up with several plans to drain flood water after heavy rains.

Son said 32 anti-flood construction works in the inner city had almost been completed. According to plans, river dredging activities as well as sluices and flood gates must be completed before June.

Son said his department had mobilised 72 trucks to vacuum up water, 20 pumps, 21 electric generators and other equipment to drain water from flood zones.

Chu Phu My, Director of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said he had asked all outlying districts to take measures to prepare for the monsoon season.

He asked irrigation departments in the outlying districts to develop detailed plans to drain the flood water from rice fields if necessary.

Nguyen Van Bay, Deputy Director of the Hong (Red) River Delta Hydro Meteorological Centre, predicted that in the coming monsoon season, Hanoi would have one or two tropical storms, plus up to nine periods of heavy rain.

"The rainfall is expected to increase by five to 10 percent over that in previous years," he said.-VNA