Heavens! Hanoi, one of my most favorite cities is braving through floods these days–the worst in more than twenty years. I’ve visited Hanoi on several occasions, but never in rains like this. I do recall slogging through Taipei in a downpour once and needing to wring out my socks in a restaurant sink, but Hanoi’s woes are far greater.
There are a few videos on YouTube that chronicle the floods, but I chose this one that was posted two days ago because of the personal narrative. It reminds me of that feeling of being soaked. Plus, the Hello Kitty umbrella the one guy is holding is so Asian.
According to the description, the flooding became worse after the video was taken. Here’s the New York Times article that gives details about the disaster. The article says that the flooding will continue to worsen through tomorrow. Parts of northern Vietnam are also being affected. I’ve e-mailed a good friend of ours who lives in Hanoi, not far from the old quarter but so far, have heard nothing back.