An extreme heat wave struck Hanoi on Wednesday, baking the northern hub and forcing locals to shelter from the heat.

The dramatic rise in temperatures in Hanoi yesterday is the initial sign of an upcoming intense hot spell in the northern region, with average temperatures expected at 37 degrees Celsius, according to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

The heat is anticipated to last until Saturday in provinces in the northern region and Thanh Hoa, a north-central province, the weather forecasting center predicted.

According to Le Thi Xuan Lan, a meteorologist based in Ho Chi Minh City, the impact of a warm air mass stretching from the west of the country was to blame for the weather phenomenon.

A woman is seen resting under the shade of trees to hide from the harsh climate along Hoan Kiem Lake. Photo: Tuoi Tre

At noon, outdoor temperatures were recorded at 40 degrees Celsius, Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters said, noting that most people were using coats and other garments to completely cover themselves while traveling on the streets of the capital.

Many local dwellers decided to travel at dawn or in the evening instead of midday to avoid the extreme heat while others brought their children to ice-cream stalls or beverage venues to cool off.

“I don’t travel outside at noon for fear of sunstroke,” Nguyen Thi Dung, an office staff in Hanoi, said, adding that she goes to work earlier and gets back home after sunset. “I also bring a home-made lunchbox with me so I don’t have to go out for lunch.”

Places shaded with trees have also become sheltering spots for those who work outside, such as delivery workers, street vendors, and motorbike taxi drivers.

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