Ho Chi Minh City has seen tidal flooding become more severe over the last decade. Understanding why the tides are getting higher helps residents and planners prepare for future floods.

This year’s peak tide at Thu Dau Mot Station was higher than last year’s, breaking the previous record. Although Thu Dau Mot lies farther upstream, it recorded a higher peak than stations nearer the river mouth, surpassing the record set in 2025. The data show that peak levels are repeatedly breaking records year after year.

Le Dinh Quyet, head of the forecasting division at the Southern Regional Hydro‑Meteorological Center, explained that strong winds blowing toward a river mouth or nearly perpendicular to it can push tidal water higher. He added that cold high‑pressure systems extending deep into southern Vietnam toward the end of the year can combine with the wind to raise water levels even further.

Quyet also noted that when high tides coincide with heavy rain and releases from hydropower plants, extra water flows downstream, raising the tide at inland stations such as Thu Dau Mot. Previous studies have shown that land subsidence makes fixed elevation benchmarks appear lower, so recorded tidal heights seem larger and flooding worsens.

Rising global sea levels, caused by melting polar ice as the climate warms, add water to the oceans and lift the baseline height of all tides. Quyet said that rapid urbanization, river‑channel narrowing and riverside infrastructure slow drainage, cause seawater to rise faster, and keep flood water trapped longer, making tidal flooding more severe and prolonged.

The increasingly severe tidal flooding in Ho Chi Minh City is the result of a mix of natural forces and human‑made changes. Recognising these drivers is essential for designing effective flood‑control measures.