Lightning over the Ring Road 3 area on Hanoi outskirts at 6 p.m. on May 28.
After several days of fierce heat, Hanoi was hit by a thunderstorm with strong winds around 5 p.m. on May 28. Lightning struck repeatedly across many areas, while heavy localized rain in wards outside the center brought some relief from the heat.
The meteorological agency said convective clouds were continuing to build, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms across Hanoi, with whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong gusts forecast for tonight.
Photo by Ngoc Thanh
In a residential area on Road 70 in Ha Dong Ward, residents braved the rain to clear a drain cover clogged with leaves after water rose about 20 cm.
Flooding on Hoe Thi Street reached halfway up motorbikes. Video by Viet Tuan
Part of Trinh Van Bo Street in Xuan Phuong Ward was submerged, leaving a truck stalled in the middle of the road.
The heavy rain hit right at rush hour, leaving many streets both flooded and gridlocked. In the darkening rain, the streetlights had not yet come on, with only the faint glow of long lines of motorbikes.
