Ho Chi Minh City shuts its biggest underpass over flooding, backing traffic up 2 km

Traffic backed up more than 2 km and fell into disarray at the An Phu interchange in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday morning after the underpass beneath it was temporarily closed to clear floodwater.

Vehicles pile up around the An Phu interchange after the underpass flooded following overnight rain, forcing authorities to close it and deal with the incident. It is the second time the underpass has flooded since it opened to traffic in February 2026.

The underpass is about 14 m wide with four lanes, letting vehicles run straight between Mai Chi Tho-Dong Van Cong and the Thu Thiem Tunnel without crossing surface traffic.

An Phu is Ho Chi Minh City's largest interchange, connecting the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway with the Mai Chi Tho, Luong Dinh Cua, Nguyen Thi Dinh and Dong Van Cong arterials.

Flooding inside the underpass stretched roughly 300 m. The Area 2 firefighting police team deployed several specialized vehicles and pumps to drain the water, while the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company sent a sludge suction truck to help.

Flooding inside the underpass stretched roughly 300 m. The Area 2 firefighting police team deployed several specialized vehicles and pumps to drain the water, while the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company sent a sludge suction truck to help.

Flooding inside the underpass stretched roughly 300 m. The Area 2 firefighting police team deployed several specialized vehicles and pumps to drain the water, while the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Drainage Company sent a sludge suction truck to help.

Thousands of vehicles queue at the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway exit heading toward the An Phu interchange. Under the normal route, cars coming from this direction can drop into the underpass and emerge onto Mai Chi Tho Street to reach downtown Ho Chi Minh City. With the underpass closed, traffic was funneled onto the roundabout, creating a backup of more than 2 km.

Thousands of vehicles queue at the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway exit heading toward the An Phu interchange. Under the normal route, cars coming from this direction can drop into the underpass and emerge onto Mai Chi Tho Street to reach downtown Ho Chi Minh City. With the underpass closed, traffic was funneled onto the roundabout, creating a backup of more than 2 km.

Thousands of vehicles queue at the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway exit heading toward the An Phu interchange. Under the normal route, cars coming from this direction can drop into the underpass and emerge onto Mai Chi Tho Street to reach downtown Ho Chi Minh City. With the underpass closed, traffic was funneled onto the roundabout, creating a backup of more than 2 km.

Thousands of vehicles queue at the Ho Chi Minh City-Long Thanh-Dau Giay Expressway exit heading toward the An Phu interchange. Under the normal route, cars coming from this direction can drop into the underpass and emerge onto Mai Chi Tho Street to reach downtown Ho Chi Minh City. With the underpass closed, traffic was funneled onto the roundabout, creating a backup of more than 2 km.

The prolonged jam left many drivers stepping out of their vehicles onto the road after waiting too long. Thanh Trung, 60, hauling cargo from Dong Nai to Binh Chanh, said he had been stuck at the An Phu roundabout for about 45 minutes without moving. "Every other day I get through the underpass very quickly. Today the road is closed, and it's been stop-and-go all morning, inching forward, sometimes sitting completely still and wasting time," he said.

Many drivers rolled down their windows and passed the time on their phones while waiting for the traffic to ease.

Vehicles packed tight at the An Phu roundabout. The road surface was still flooded on Friday morning, forcing drivers to pick out the higher stretches of pavement to keep water out of their engines.

A representative of the Ho Chi Minh City Transport Construction Investment Project Management Board said the underpass flooded because the volume of water exceeded the pumps' capacity.