File photo for reference only

 

Hanoi faced severe disruptions on Tuesday as Typhoon Kajiki's rains flooded numerous streets, immobilising countless motorbikes and overwhelming repair shops across the city.

 

The torrential downpour from Kajiki began on Monday night, intensifying by Tuesday morning. Approximately 40 streets in the Vietnamese capital were submerged, complicating the morning commute for many residents.

 

Repair shops across affected neighbourhoods experienced an unprecedented influx of customers. A workshop at Tran Dang Ninh intersection, close to flooded roads, quickly amassed dozens of stalled motorbikes in need of urgent attention.

 

"We usually open at 7:30 a.m., but today we had to start much earlier," shared a beleaguered shop owner clad in yellow. "Dozens of customers were already waiting outside due to the crisis."

 

Despite their best efforts, the shop's limited staff struggled to meet the demand. Mechanics worked tirelessly, but not without challenges. Customers resorted to leaving their bike details and contact numbers, prepared for potentially lengthy waits.

 

The core issue across all bikes was stalling in floodwaters. Light repairs, like drying the spark plug or replacing air filters, took 10-15 minutes. But for those with water having seeped into the engine, repairs stretched beyond half an hour.

 

“The first thing we ask is about the water depth they rode through,” explained one mechanic. "Minor cases are easy fixes, but deeper water means more complex repairs."

 

In more dire situations, mechanics had to clear water from exhausts, replace engine oil, and tackle more intricate components. The shop soon faced a shortage of spare parts, pushing the owner to seek external suppliers.

 

Some passengers, like Duy Anh, recounted their travails: "We left at 7:30 a.m., and despite avoiding most floods, we couldn’t escape Tran Quoc Hoan's deep waters." His experience mirrored many others', with waits often extending to an hour.

 

The impact of larger vehicles compounded issues for smaller bikes. Mai Hoa’s motorbike stalled due to waves from a passing car, a common peril as vehicles navigated through deeper waters.

 

Even as rain forecasts suggested easing conditions, the backlog at repair shops persisted. Charges for repairs ranged from 480 to 720 THB for minor fixes, with serious damages costing up to 1,440 THB.

 

For some, a new service offered a reprieve. For 240 THB, bikes and riders could be ferried across flooded streets, bypassing the trouble entirely, as seen on Duong Dinh Nghe Street.

 

Weather reports indicated that Hanoi's ordeal might soon pass. As Typhoon Kajiki weakened, moving from Vietnam into Thailand, the city began anticipating relief from the relentless rains.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN Express 2025-08-27

 

So much for all these youtubers urging you to move to Vietnam.

 

Typhoons? No thanks.

Cheap Charlie travel YTers are sodomites, not worthy of a listen.

 

There are lots of good reasons to move to VN, but I never recommend it because of the 90 day border runs.

 

Govt could pull the rug any moment on that.

21 hours ago, Cameroni said:

So much for all these youtubers urging you to move to Vietnam.

 

Typhoons? No thanks.

No typhoons in the far south of Vietnam. They almost always hit Central and northern Vietnam. Very rarely the upper south. The Mekong delta zero since I moved here in 2017.

1 minute ago, thecyclist said:

No typhoons in the far south of Vietnam. They almost always hit Central and northern Vietnam. Very rarely the upper south. The Mekong delta zero since I moved here in 2017.

 

That's good to know. I had no idea typhoons hit Vietnam at all. Is it common there?

3 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

That's good to know. I had no idea typhoons hit Vietnam at all. Is it common there?

Every year I hear about at least 4.

2 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

That's good to know. I had no idea typhoons hit Vietnam at all. Is it common there?

Yes it is, but nothing compared to the Philippines. 

Thailand is protected by the mountains of Vietnam and Laos. By the time they reach LOS, typhoons have weakened into tropical depressions. 

8 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

No typhoons in the far south of Vietnam. They almost always hit Central and northern Vietnam. Very rarely the upper south. The Mekong delta zero since I moved here in 2017.

 

Didn't one of their worst typhoons, Linda, hit the far south?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Linda_(1997)

2 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

By the time they reach LOS, typhoons have weakened into tropical depressions. 

 

Indeed, just got one, but since it's a hybrid system between monsoon and typhoon, the rainfall is pretty severe. I mean we didn't have a lot of flooded roads in CM, my areas was not affected at all, but some border parts in the ?North saw some damage from flooding.

2 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Indeed, just got one, but since it's a hybrid system between monsoon and typhoon, the rainfall is pretty severe. I mean we didn't have a lot of flooded roads in CM, my areas was not affected at all, but some border parts in the ?North saw some damage from flooding.

Hurricanes are one reason I decided to move to Texas instead of Florida, where I visited a number of times to fish and loved. I love the coast but will never live at it because of that. Where I lived and will move back to in Texas is far enough away from the coast to not be in any trouble and far enough south where tornadoes rarely ever occur, in the Hill Country. There are flash floods near where I will live but I won't live near a waterway either for that reason. Texas does get some heavy rain at times, but it's still nothing like the rainy season here. 

8 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

 

Didn't one of their worst typhoons, Linda, hit the far south?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_Storm_Linda_(1997)

Interesting. Was before my time. Also, look at the Wikipedia map, it was a tropical storm when it hit Cà Mau province, the far far south, and only developed into a typhoon over the gulf of Thailand. 

Southern Thailand occasionally has typhoons too. They had a massive one in the eighties hitting Prachuap Kirikan province. I remember taking the Butterworth express on visa run in the aftermath, the damage was extensive. 

1 hour ago, fredwiggy said:

Hurricanes are one reason I decided to move to Texas instead of Florida, where I visited a number of times to fish and loved. I love the coast but will never live at it because of that. Where I lived and will move back to in Texas is far enough away from the coast to not be in any trouble and far enough south where tornadoes rarely ever occur, in the Hill Country. There are flash floods near where I will live but I won't live near a waterway either for that reason. Texas does get some heavy rain at times, but it's still nothing like the rainy season here. 

 

That's why I left Cayman Islands. I guess tropical depressions are better than typhoons or hurricanes.

Just now, Cameroni said:

 

That's why I left Cayman Islands. I guess tropical depressions are better than typhoons or hurricanes.

More rain and flooding, which is not good but hurricanes spawn tornadoes and have extreme wind damage.