Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds hit downtown Hanoi on Tuesday afternoon, coming as both a blessing and a curse after a record-setting heat wave.
The rain came crashing down at around 3:30 p.m., catching many travelers by surprise.
Chaotic scenes could be seen in many parts of the city, including the downtown districts of Cau Giay and Hoang Mai.
Many drivers had to seek shelter under a flyover, and more than 100 workers had to rush down from a skyscraper under construction.
In Ba Dinh District, several trees were uprooted. No casualties have been reported.
A tree was uprooted on Tuesday afternoon in Ba Dinh District. Photo by VnExpress |
Temperatures in Hanoi hit a scorching 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, on Friday, before rising to an all-time high of 42.5C on Sunday.
The heat wave disrupted life for many locals and proved fatal for a 70-year-old woman who fainted while driving a motorbike on Monday morning and died soon after.
It has also been blamed for causing the city’s worst forest fire in history which raged from Monday afternoon until early on Tuesday and burned down 30 hectares (74 acres) of pine trees.