Heavy snow has damaged large areas of crops while stopping traffic onmany roads in Sa Pa district , the northwestern mountainous province ofLao Cai.
According to the Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development of Sa Pa, more than 100 hectares ofchayote and another 100 hectares of flowers were buried under snow.
Thick ice also blocked about 10 kilometres of Highway 4D linking LaoCai and Lai Chau provinces. Efforts have been made by local authoritiesto clear the roads.
Freezing temperatures have also forced more than 8,500 pre-school and primary school students to cease their schooling.
According to the Lai Chau Department of Education and Training,thousands of students in the hard-hit districts of Sin Ho, Phong Tho andTam Duong have had to stay at home. Students in 63 schools in Sa Pa,including 20 nursery, 22 primary and 21 secondary schools, have beenallowed to stay at home on December 16 and 17.
Toease the difficulties for the students, more than 500 blankets and manypresents have been sent to the students, the department said.
On December 16, temperatures plunged to below 5 degrees Celsius acrossthe whole of Lao Cai province. Particularly, the temperature dropped tominus 3 degrees Celsius in Sa Pa, coupled with rain and snow.
Earlier on December 15, heavy snow and a thick layer of ice covered OQuy Ho Mountain Pass in Sa Pa, while the temperature was recorded atminus one degree Celsius.
This type of weather, while not unheard-of, occasionally occurs in the highest northern mountains during winter.
The snowfall attracts tourists to Sa Pa, causing congestion from theprovincial capital of Lao Cai to the resort town.
From the height of 1,500m above sea level, icy sheets were about 2.5cm thick, while the temperature continued to plunge in foggy and dizzyweather.-VNA
According to the Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development of Sa Pa, more than 100 hectares ofchayote and another 100 hectares of flowers were buried under snow.
Thick ice also blocked about 10 kilometres of Highway 4D linking LaoCai and Lai Chau provinces. Efforts have been made by local authoritiesto clear the roads.
Freezing temperatures have also forced more than 8,500 pre-school and primary school students to cease their schooling.
According to the Lai Chau Department of Education and Training,thousands of students in the hard-hit districts of Sin Ho, Phong Tho andTam Duong have had to stay at home. Students in 63 schools in Sa Pa,including 20 nursery, 22 primary and 21 secondary schools, have beenallowed to stay at home on December 16 and 17.
Toease the difficulties for the students, more than 500 blankets and manypresents have been sent to the students, the department said.
On December 16, temperatures plunged to below 5 degrees Celsius acrossthe whole of Lao Cai province. Particularly, the temperature dropped tominus 3 degrees Celsius in Sa Pa, coupled with rain and snow.
Earlier on December 15, heavy snow and a thick layer of ice covered OQuy Ho Mountain Pass in Sa Pa, while the temperature was recorded atminus one degree Celsius.
This type of weather, while not unheard-of, occasionally occurs in the highest northern mountains during winter.
The snowfall attracts tourists to Sa Pa, causing congestion from theprovincial capital of Lao Cai to the resort town.
From the height of 1,500m above sea level, icy sheets were about 2.5cm thick, while the temperature continued to plunge in foggy and dizzyweather.-VNA
