Widespread thunderstorms accompanied by hail affected parts of the northwest, with hailstones ranging from 1 to 3 cm falling within a short period, disrupting daily life and causing initial agricultural losses.

In Son La, hail fell suddenly on March 22, particularly in Phieng Khoai commune. The hailstorm, combined with strong winds, damaged large areas of crops. In Hang Mon 1 and Hang Mon 2 villages, many plum orchards were severely affected during the fruit-setting stage, with unripe fruit knocked off and branches broken.

A local resident said her family’s nearly one-hectare plum farm suffered heavy losses after just a brief hailstorm. “The fruit had just begun to develop, and now most of it has fallen. It’s a significant loss for this season,” she said.

Local authorities are assessing the damage and advising residents to stay vigilant as weather conditions remain unpredictable.

At around 5:15 p.m. the same day, parts of Phu Tho experienced sudden strong hailstorms following a cloudy day. Intense hail forced many people traveling on the roads to stop and seek shelter. Residents reported hailstones roughly the size of fingertips hitting rooftops, prompting some households to move vehicles under cover to avoid damage.

The storm was followed by about 30 minutes of heavy rain, causing fruit such as sapodilla and star apple to fall prematurely.

Earlier, on the night of March 21, hail and strong winds also hit several communes in Lao Cai. In Ban Lau commune, 15 houses had their roofs blown off, and several structures, including a school facility, were damaged. Heavy rain and strong winds also flooded some crop areas.

Initial estimates put total losses in the locality at around VND315 million. No casualties were reported.

Following the incidents, the Lao Cai Provincial Military Command mobilised more than 50 personnel, including soldiers and militia, to assist residents in recovery efforts and help stabilise living conditions.

According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to continue across northern mountainous and midland regions. Meteorologists warned that severe weather conditions may include tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong winds.

Localised heavy rainfall also raises the risk of flash floods in small rivers and streams, landslides in mountainous areas, and flooding in low-lying regions.

Northern Vietnam clears up while southern region faces heatwaves

VOV.VN - Northern Vietnam on March 19 sees reduced rainfall with sunshine and temperatures of 25–28°C, while the southern region continues to experience local heatwaves, reaching above 35°C, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.