Poor air quality, humidity driving residents to flee Hanoi

Director Ninh Quang Truong’s popular song "Yeu Den May Ma Khong Hop Cung Phai Chia Tay" (Break Up When You Are Not Meant For Each Other No Matter How Much You Love), inspired by the capital city’s relentless dampness, are providing solace to a growing number of locals.

For those who share Truong’s struggles, the humidity exacerbates existing respiratory issues, creating a constant battle with their own bodies.

"I constantly grapple with nasal and throat discomfort; they never seem to function properly," lamented one resident. "The floors in my home perpetually glisten with sweat, and our clothes cling damply, emitting an unpleasant odor."

The overcast skies of Hanoi, heavy with humidity that hinders dust dispersion, captured from Ma Kien Nghi’s apartment in Hanoi’s Hai Ba Trung District on the morning of March 12, 2024. Photo by Ma Kien Nghi

Across social media platforms, Hanoi inhabitants are expressing their grievances, detailing the immediate onslaught of sneezing fits, runny noses, and breathlessness that ensue upon returning to the city any time they leave.

"Every time I return to Hanoi from other places, I am immediately beset by sneezing, a runny nose, and difficulty breathing," said Dang Ha Anh, 49, a faculty member at Thang Long Middle School in the capital’s Ba Dinh District.

Having lost her father to a lung condition and now living with her mother, who is struggling with nasal and throat issues in recent years, Anh understands the seriousness of these health problems. Medical professionals have warned her about the potential life-threatening nature of her asthma, noting that despite medication and careful daily management, she frequently relapses and often needs hospitalization.

A three-month business trip to South Korea in 2016 was a revelation for Anh, as her skin and nasal conditions vanished, highlighting the impact of Hanoi’s environment on her well-being. This insight led her to consider a change of scenery, especially after a close friend moved to retire in the coastal Khanh Hoa province, prompting her and her family to test living there temporarily in 2022.

Anh (L) and a friend enjoying the beaches of Nha Trang city in Khanh Hoa province. Photo courtesy of Anh

Dr. Nguyen Khac Truong of the Vietnam National Children’s Hospital observed that humid conditions increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, noting a rise in diseases affecting both the upper and lower respiratory tracts, such as sinusitis, otitis media, and bronchitis. His hospital has seen a 30% uptick in patients seeking respiratory care recently, he said.

He elaborated by saying that humidity, when combined with air pollution, can exacerbate these conditions, potentially leading to pneumonia.

"This weather adversely affects individuals of all ages," the expert said.

Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network, described the muggy weather pattern currently affecting Hanoi as characteristic of the northern Vietnam winter-spring season, marked by low temperatures, excessive humidity above 90%, and stagnant air that fails to disperse dust particles.

Air quality monitoring indicates that the levels of fine dust PM 2.5 (particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter) are alarmingly high, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) showing consistently poor readings. Hanoi has topped the charts for air pollution globally since the onset of winter, surpassing various cities often known for poor air quality like Lahore in Pakistan and Dhaka in Bangladesh. Air quality technology company IQAir’s AQI rankings on March 4 placed Hanoi at the pinnacle of pollution.

A national environmental status report pointed out that the average annual PM 2.5 concentration in Hanoi from 2018-2020 was nearly double the national technical standard. The report underlines the city’s struggle with air pollution, emphasizing its impact on community health and the economy, citing over 1,000 hospital admissions for cardiovascular issues and nearly 3,000 for respiratory conditions annually. The two figures respectively account for 1.2% and 2.4% of total hospitalizations.

Additionally, the economic toll from respiratory disease treatments and the impacts of poor air quality between 2011-2015 were estimated at around VND2 trillion (US$81 million) annually.

Hanoi's Long Bien Bridge, connecting the city's Hoan Kiem and Long Bien districts, is covered by a thick layer of fog resulted from humidity. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

Dr. Tung has observed numerous individuals relocating from Hanoi due to health problems related to air quality.

"Their decision to leave is driven by a strong desire for cleaner air," he said. "Addressing air pollution could alleviate the severity of the humid season."

Le Quang Binh, coordinator of the Livable Hanoi network, acknowledges that the city’s distinct seasons, including the humid period, are beyond human control. However, he points out that air pollution is a solvable issue.

"Those who leave do so because the environmental challenges outweigh the benefits and emotional ties they have to their hometown," he asserted. "This signals a need for change."

He suggested city-wide initiatives such as preserving and expanding green spaces and prioritizing public utilities over commercial housing development. He commends the city’s ongoing relocation of industrial zones to outside residential areas, promotion of cultural and creative industries, energy transition, and improvements to the public transportation system as positive steps for Hanoi.

Lam Nguyen, a 40-year-old Hanoi native, is preparing for his second relocation. His initial move in 2020 was from an urban area in Hanoi’s east gate to the capital’s neighboring Vinh Phuc province, an hour’s drive from Hanoi, prompted by deteriorating health.

"Frequent headaches and fatigue upon waking, diagnosed as peripheral vertigo due to environmental factors, along with worsening allergic rhinitis during humid weather, led me to the decision," explained Lam, a deputy head of a faculty at a university in Hanoi at the time.

Since moving, he has experienced less allergic rhinitis, and his family’s overall health has improved, including a complete avoidance of Covid-19 during the pandemic, he said.

Yet, he plans to move even further from Hanoi.

"The cold, humid season is pushing us to seek a new environment," he stated, revealing plans to relocate to the coastal Quy Nhon province by the end of March.

Anh, too, has decided to make Khanh Hoa her permanent home after a trial period there significantly improved her and her mother’s health.

"I initially intended to work another two years before retiring, but my health has declined recently," she shared. "Therefore, I’ll be retiring this summer."