Giant gnarled tree topples across road, paralyzing central Ho Chi Minh City's traffic

A 20-meter-tall bodhi tree collapsed across Dinh Tien Hoang Street in downtown Ho Chi Minh City during the morning rush hour of Oct. 7, plunging the many streets into three hours of traffic gridlock.

Traffic backed up along Dien Bien Phu Street toward central Ho Chi Minh City after a large tree fell from the grounds of a corner cafe.

The incident occurred at the intersection of Dien Bien Phu and Dinh Tien Hoang Streets in former District 1, a busy area where several major thoroughfares meet.

The old tree stood more than 20 m tall with a wide canopy. Local residents said it fell at around 6 a.m., despite there being no rain or strong wind.

The incident severely disrupted the morning commute, creating difficult conditions for people heading to work and bringing their children to school.

The traffic jam spread to Vo Thi Sau, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Hai Ba Trung and Pham Ngoc Thach streets.

The tree trunk blocked a part of Dinh Tien Hoang Street, while its canopy crashed onto several houses and shops on the opposite side of the road, causing damage to signs.

A man riding a motorbike was struck by a falling branch but escaped with minor scratches.

The fallen tree blocked Dinh Tien Hoang Street, forcing vehicles to take detours. Photo by Thai Viet Hoan

Greenery workers cut branches and cleared the fallen tree to reopen the road and restore traffic.

Greenery workers cut branches and cleared the fallen tree to reopen the road and restore traffic.

Greenery workers cut branches and cleared the fallen tree to reopen the road and restore traffic.

Traffic police established a checkpoint about 200 meters from the scene, redirecting vehicles on Dinh Tien Hoang Street onto Nguyen Van Giai to avoid the blocked area.

Traffic police cordoned off part of Dinh Tien Hoang Street and directed vehicles away from the fallen tree.

Traffic police cordoned off part of Dinh Tien Hoang Street and directed vehicles away from the fallen tree.

Traffic police cordoned off part of Dinh Tien Hoang Street and directed vehicles away from the fallen tree.

Bui Huu Nghia Street nearby was packed with vehicles in both directions as cars and motorbikes crawled through the heavy traffic.

The area had already experienced severe gridlock the previous day when a massive drilling rig toppled over and blocked the road.

The rig, which stood more than 10 m tall and weighed dozens of tons, was being used in the construction of a major canal renovation project.

Traffic backed up on Nguyen Van Giai Street after vehicles were diverted there to avoid the incident site.

By 9:30 a.m., workers were clearing the fallen tree and had reopened a passage for vehicles.

The location of the fallen tree in downtown Ho Chi Minh City, not far from the popular pink church Tan Dinh. Graphics by Hoang Thanh