A brutal and unprecedented heatwave is gripping Vietnam, shattering national weather records and pushing the mercury to a life-altering 44°C. This historic event is part of a wider, debilitating pattern of extreme heat scorching vast swathes of Southeast Asia.
The intense, unrelenting sun has forced authorities in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, to implement drastic measures. In a move to protect public health, officials have ordered cuts to the city's street lighting system and are urging citizens to conserve electricity at every opportunity.
A Region Under a Heat Dome
Vietnam is not suffering alone. Neighbouring countries are also baking under the same oppressive heat dome. Thailand has reported temperatures exceeding 44°C in some areas, while parts of the capital, Bangkok, are experiencing feels-like temperatures of a staggering 52°C due to suffocating humidity.
Further west, Myanmar's weather department announced that the town of Tak hit 43.8°C, marking the hottest day for the month of April in over a decade. The Philippines and Bangladesh have also been compelled to close schools as the health risks to children become untenable.
Human Impact and Official Warnings
The human cost of the extreme temperatures is immediate and severe. The Vietnamese government has issued urgent public health warnings, advising people to stay indoors between the hottest hours of 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
This crisis is straining national infrastructure to its limits. Vietnam's state-run electricity company has reported that the soaring demand for air conditioning has pushed the national power grid to the brink of failure, prompting fears of widespread, prolonged blackouts.
Scientists are in little doubt that this extreme weather event is a direct consequence of human-induced climate change, signalling a worrying new normal for the region.
