Snow covers streets in Cao Bang province (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The severe cold weather in recent days has caused damage to numerous localities in the northern part of Vietnam.
According to the steering committee for natural disaster prevention and search and rescue of Lao Cai province, losses from the snowfall on January 24 amount to over 5 billion VND (225,000 USD).
Sa Pa district was the hardest hit with all of its communes and towns blanketed by snow, causing an estimated economic loss of around 2.3 billion VND (103,500 USD).
As many as 47 cattle froze to death, including 40 in Sa Pa, and the remaining from Bat Xat and Muong Khuong districts. Furthermore, some 205 hectares of provincial crops were also affected.
In Quang Ninh province, the cold spell which began January 23 has killed at least 217 animals, according to a preliminary report from the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The temperature across the province has plunged to around 4 degrees Celsius. Streets and trees in communes such as Tinh Huc and Dong Van were coated with blankets of snow.
Earlier on January 23, the temperature at Dong pagoda and Yen Tu mountain plummeted to negative 2 degrees Celsius, while that at Thuong Yen Cong commune and Uong Bi city dropped to 1 degree Celsius.
The cold front also raged through Thai Binh province, with the current lowest temperature of 6-7 degrees Celsius.
This has damaged a vast area of fish breeding in Thuy Hai, Thai Do, Thai Thuong, and Thuy Xuan communes in Thai Thuy district.
Meanwhile, Cao Bang province reported 185 dead cattle, mainly in Ha Lang, Tra Linh, Nguyen Binh, and Thach An districts, according to the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Areas.
The frozen weather has killed at least 12 cattle in Dien Bien province and as many as 248 in Yen Bai province.
Most of the crop areas in Yen Bai province have been destroyed by the snow and frost.
The chilly weather is forecast to continue for the next several days, preventing students from going to school.
Authorities in these localities have focused measures to ensure the health of locals, while directing farmers to protect cattle and farming land from the severe cold.-VNA
