Fresh Cold Front Blows Again, Engulfing Nation in New Threats

Last night a new wave of cold air swept through northern and central Viet Nam, making the currently freezing weather 40-year cold even more frigid, further complicating health problems for both cattle and people. The Central Pediatric Hospital is overloaded.

Last night a new wave of cold air swept through northern and central Viet Nam, making the currently freezing weather 40-year cold even more frigid, further complicating health problems for both cattle and people.

Fresh Cold Front Blows Again, Engulfing Nation in New Threats ảnh 1
The Central Pediatric Hospital is overloaded.

The capital city of Ha Noi faced the new cold front just one day after the old one ended. Temperature there dropped to 10.5oC, prolonging the current cold spell to nearly one month up to now.

Many primary schools started to close but were criticized by the city’s Education Department because they are only permitted to do so when the mercury slides below 10oC - according to local regulations.

Despite being above the danger threshold, the severe weather has been sending more and more children and the elderly to hospitals.

The respiration, infection and digestion wards of the Central Pediatric Hospital in Ha Noi have been overloaded with 600 patients being admitted on a daily basis. On certain days, the number rocketed up to 1,000, said Doctor Nguyen Van Loc, deputy director of the hospital.

Numerous elderly people have been hospitalized for cold-related diseases including heart attack, arthritis and respiration problems.

Some had to undergo emergency aid against cerebral vascular accidents triggered by suddenly chilly bouts during their physical exercises in early mornings.

Fresh Cold Front Blows Again, Engulfing Nation in New Threats ảnh 2
Flowers freeze in Sapa's cold weather.

For farmers in northwest and central regions, another kind of woe is confronting them.

Thousands of cattle heads have been dying during the past month and tens of thousands of hectares of rice seedlings between 10-15 days old withering during the last 10 days.

In the northern province of Phu Tho, a farmer unexpectedly died on her field while harvesting vegetables while a child untimely stopped breathing during a normal motorbike ride with parents, also due to the freezing weather.

However, there’s at least one silver lining to the drab picture.

With temperatures dropping to minus 2oC, the northwest tourist city of Sapa has seen snow falling. The Hoang Lien Son mountain in Lai Chau province yesterday also enjoyed snow which envelops the whole range and almost freezed all trees there.

This snow-capped scene and its unusual phenomenon are attracting thousands of tourists. 

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