HANOI (AFP) – Vietnam reported a record-high temperature, with climate experts warning such extreme weather events would continue.
The country’s scientists warned that global warming is exacerbating adverse weather, with the region sweltering under a heatwave in April – when neighbouring countries also registered record temperatures.
A temperature of 44.1 degrees Celcius (°C) was measured in Vietnam on Saturday, the National Centre for Hydro Meteorological Forecasting said, breaking the 2019 record of 43.4 °C.
Farmer Nguyen Thi Lan told AFP that temperatures in the central city of Danang had been increasingly hot, forcing workers to start earlier than ever.
“We have had to finish before 10am to avoid the heat,” she said.
Lan said forecasters said temperatures had risen to nearly 40°C.
Vietnam’s weather varies from north to south, but the entire country is now entering its hottest summer months.
The record temperature was measured indoors at Hoi Xuan station in northern Thanh Hoa province. It topped the previous high of 43.4 °C, recorded in April 2019 at Huong Khe District in central Ha Tinh Province.
Across the country, weather experts and authorities warned the population to remain indoors during the hottest parts of the day.
At midday on Saturday, Hanoi city centre was almost empty as many remained indoors to avoid the sun.
