Record heatwave grips Northern Vietnam

Tuesday 05 August 2025 - 11:00

A record-breaking heatwave has swept across northern Vietnam for several days, with seven provinces registering unprecedented high temperatures for the month of August, officials reported Tuesday. Seventeen weather stations in the region broke previous heat records set in 2021 and 2024 on Sunday and Monday.

In downtown Hanoi, the capital, a weather station recorded 40.3°C—surpassing the 2021 August record of 39.8°C and marking the first time temperatures exceeded 40°C in the city. The relative humidity was notably low at 52%, creating a pronounced sensation of dryness and heat, according to meteorologist Nguyen Van Huong from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.

The usually bustling streets of Hanoi were quieter on Tuesday as residents preferred to stay indoors to escape the extreme heat. Ngo Thu Thuy, a 38-year-old florist, expressed her exhaustion after delivering flowers on a motorbike in the scorching weather, lamenting a drop in sales due to the heat. A construction worker named Nam described Hanoi as "a burning pan" caused by too many buildings and vehicles raising the temperature in recent days.

As residents rely heavily on fans and air conditioners, the national electricity company EVN announced that Hanoi’s electricity consumption hit a record peak Monday afternoon. Dang Xuan Huong, an office worker, said she could not imagine spending a night without air conditioning.

Vietnam regularly experiences high temperatures, but researchers warn that human-induced climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves. Forecasters predict rain in northern Vietnam on Tuesday, which should help bring temperatures down.