Hanoi authorities have set up a pilot scheme to install cameras in underground sewers to detect the dumping of waste into the drainage system as part of efforts to overcome flooding in the rainy season.

A series of big sewers are also being put into operation throughout Hanoi , with the aim of clearing flood-prone spots in the inner districts of Ba Dinh, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem and Hoang Mai by 2015.

However, about 20 locations are still expected to cause trouble this year when more than 100mm of rain falls during the rainy season from May to July.

New black spots have been declared in Nguyen Xien and Pham Van Dong streets in Cau Giay district, according to Le Vu Quang Suong, head of Hanoi Sewerage and Drainage Company’s Planning Office.

Suong said the dumping of construction waste in the drainage system has blocked the flow of water along Nguyen Xien, while a lack of good drainage is blamed for flooding in Pham Van Dong street .

He added that problematic areas include Nguyen Khuyen street in Hai Ba Trung district, Tan Mai and Linh Nam in Hoang Mai district, the intersections of Phan Boi Chau and Ly Thuong Kiet in Hoan Kiem district, and Duoi Ca and Truong Dinh in Hoang Mai district.

The company has attempted to fix the situation through dredging drains and cleaning up canals and rivers in the inner city, he said.-VNA