The ban will be applied from September 11 until further notice on the Day and Ca Lo rivers, Yen Stream, and Suoi Hai Lake, among others.
According to the department, heavy rain triggered by Typhoon Yagi and water release from various hydropower plants in some northern localities has caused the water level in Hanoi's rivers and lakes to rise sharply over the past few days.
With the boat ban, the ministry has asked concerned agencies to strictly monitor the water level of local rivers and lakes to prepare proper solutions to protect people's lives and property.
According to the National Centre for Hydrometeorological Forecasting, the flood water level on the Red River has started to decrease. At 7 am on September 12, it was 11.20 metres, some 4 cm lower than an hour earlier.
The water level is forecasted to continue falling in the coming days.
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had communicated with the Chinese side to ensure that China strictly regulates the flow of water from the upper reaches of the Red River to downstream regions. Meanwhile, Vietnam is dealing with severe flooding and landslides due to the powerful Typhoon Yagi last weekend.
The foreign ministry added that China confirmed that none of its hydropower plants or dams would release water into the upper reaches of the Red River.
