A 40-degree heat wave is sweeping through the northern and central regions of Viet Nam on July 1, said the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF).

The north is suffering intense heat from the early morning, with temperatures soaring between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius. The heat is particularly bad in Ha Noi due to urban effects.

A swathe of localities from central Thanh Hoa province to Binh Thuan are sweltering in the harsh hot spell spurred by strong and gusty foehn winds from Laos. The temperature in the western mountainous area is even surpassing 40 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, southern region will have scattered rain with temperature around 34-35 degrees Celsius.

The centre said the heat wave is expected to end on around July 4 and 5.

It said earlier that all regions in Viet Nam are likely to experience higher temperatures and less rainfall between June and August compared to the yearly average level.

Average temperatures across the country in the summer months will be between 0.5-1 degrees Celsius higher than normal due to the impacts of the El Nino weather pattern while less rainfall will contribute to continued water shortages in central Viet Nam through mid-September, the centre warned.

(Source: VNA)