City dwellers travel on a road on a hot day in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Extremeheat has put northern-central provinces from Thanh Hoa toQuang Tri at risk of forest fires.
According to the National Centre for Hydro-Metreologogical Forecasting, hotweather is set to scorch northern and northern-central provinces this week withtemperatures from 35 to 38 degree Celsius.
The Red River Delta and central provinces are forecast to swelter in up to40-degree heat along with low humidity of 30 to 50 percent, posing threats offorest fires.
The extreme heat is predicted to last for the next 10 days.
Up to four heat waves have been forecast to hit the north in the first half ofJuly, while central provinces are forecast to continue suffering drought.
The average rainfall in these regions will drop by 15 to 30 percent compared tothe same period last year, according to the National Centre forHydro-Metreologogical Forecasting.
Meanwhile, downpours are forecast in the northwestern mountainous area,south-central area and Central Highlands.
The south’s total rainfall will be 15 to 30 percent higher than previous years’average.
Hanoi has suffered severe hot weather with temperaturesexceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
To avoid severe heat, many local firms have adjusted working hours to protectemployees’ health.
The Hanoi Drainage Company starts the morning shift earlier, from 5.30am, whileallowing workers to start the afternoon shift later at 3pm.
The company has also set up makeshift shelters for workers to rest aswell as mobilised a medic force to promptly deal with any cases of sunstroke.
The firm has also provided each of its 2,000 workers with vitamin C tablets and3kg of sugar per month from May to August.
“The company’s support encourages us to keep up doing our job of cleaningstreets, even on scorching days,” said employee Bui Dac Tri.
The Hanoi Urban Environment Company (URENCO) has mobilised water trucks toclean and cool down the streets. The city's road cleaning budget in 2020is 114 billion VND (4.9 million USD) from the local budget.
The company said they were designing new bucket hats to help hundreds ofcleaners stay cool.
Besides personal protective equipment, each URENCO worker also receives 10kg ofsugar.
The city authorities have warned companies, especially those whose employeeswork outside, to implement protection measures to ensure employees’ health aswell as maintain performance./.
VNA
