HANOI: A prolonged heatwave has gripped Vietnam in recent weeks, with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius in many areas, sending residents in search of relief, forcing outdoor workers to endure harsh conditions and driving up electricity demand nationwide.
For many families, the heat has reshaped daily routines.
Following recommendations from the Ministry of Health to avoid outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., Tran Thanh Huyen, a resident of Hanoi's Ha Dong ward, said she and her husband now play sports before sunrise, while their children's football training sessions have been moved to the evening to avoid the worst of the heat.
"This summer is stuffy, suffocating and oppressive," she said, adding that her family spends much more time indoors, with air conditioners running for most of the day.
The change has come at a cost, with Huyen's monthly electricity bill rising to nearly 2.8 million Vietnamese dong (about US$111.4) in May, or 1.5 times higher than a month earlier.
Her experience mirrors a national trend, as soaring temperatures have driven power consumption to unprecedented levels.
The country's power system recorded an all-time high load of 58,103 MW at 1:40 p.m. on May 26, up 5.7 per cent from the previous record set in 2025, while daily power output reached a record 1.212 billion kWh, 9.1 per cent higher than last year's peak.
Northern Vietnam, where the heatwave has been particularly intense, also set new records, with peak load reaching 29,716 MW at 1:20 p.m. the same day and daily output hitting 629 million kWh. The region accounted for 51.9 per cent of the national electricity consumption that day.
To ensure supply, power plants across the country ramped up output to near-maximum capacity, including the Chinese-invested Vinh Tan Phase 1 BOT Power Plant in the southern province of Lam Dong.
In the capital city, where temperatures remained above 38 degrees Celsius well into the late afternoon, many residents sought relief wherever they could.
On the Duong River in Viet Hung ward, brightly coloured swim rings dotted the water as residents of all ages took to the river to cool off from the scorching heat.
"The weather is extremely hot, so we come here to cool off and exercise," Nguyen Thi Nga, an elderly resident who comes here twice a day, told Xinhua.
Yet while some cool off indoors and others flock to the river, outdoor workers have no choice but to work through the heat.
Delivery worker Duong Thi Nga, who rides through the city's hottest hours in layers of sun-protective clothing, said the heat has reduced her daily deliveries from between 150 and 200 on normal days to about 80, cutting into her income while making each shift more exhausting.
At a construction site in Hong Ha ward, workers Nguyen Khac Duc and Hoang Van Dung, who endure 6 a.m.-6 p.m. shifts under the open sky, said they press on despite the harsh conditions, armed with extra water and sun-protective clothing, to meet project deadlines and keep their families afloat.
Not everyone, however, is counting the cost of the heat, especially beverage shops.
At a sugarcane juice shop on Ha Trung street, its manager Nguyen Phuong Anh said sales have climbed 20 to 30 per cent as customers queue outside for the cold drink throughout the day. - Xinhua
