Hanoi celebrates overdue rainfall

Hanoi receives some much-needed rain today (Source: dantri.vn)

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For the past week, due to the influence of low pressure developed in the West and expanding to the Southeast areas of the country, intense, blazing sun covered the northwest and northern areas as well as some mountainous localities in Northeast Vietnam.

At 7 PM on June 5, weather stations in the northern areas reported the average maximum temperature of 38-40 degrees Celsius, but in many places the temperature even reached over this. In Hanoi, the temperature during this period was 41.5-42 degrees Celsius.

However, this temperature was monitored at the weather stations, the actual outdoor temperature in Hanoi was about 45-50 degrees Celsius. City residents have been experimenting with cooking eggs outside.

Some other places also experienced temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius, such as Vinh Yen in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, where the temperature was 40.4 degrees Celsius, Huu Lung in the northern moutainous province of Lang Son) with 40.3 degrees Celsius, and Chi Linh in the northern province of Hai Duong) with 41 degrees Celsius.

The monitored temperatures over the past many years indicate that this was a record heat period in the northern areas.

The temperature on June 3 exceeded the 46-year record

Dr Pham Ngoc Dang, vice chairman of the Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment, said that the record heat in Vietnam’s capital was because trees are continuously cut down to be replaced by new modern constructions.

“A wide range of these new buildings and the increasing usage of air-conditioners reduced the air circulation. This is one of the reasons for the exceptionally hot weather,” Dr Dang said.

To deal with the changes in urban weather, according to Dr Dang, the most important thing is to increase plants and the acreage of water surfaces.