People learn to adapt to increasing threat of erratic weather conditions

VOV.VN - Vietnamese people have no alternative but to quickly adapt to the challenges posed by extreme weather occurring more often, while also taking measures to respond to climate change, according to hydro-meteorological forecasting experts.

Erratic weather becoming the norm

Over the past few days, spells of rain and severe flooding have struck the central region irregularly, bringing chaos to the daily life of local people and causing serious damage to both people and property. Fishermen who are regarded as experts on marine weather were particularly shocked as they did not think that rain could possible pour down during the dry season which marks the start of their fishing season.

Heavy rain has battered the central region for several days, flooding large areas from Quang Tri, Quang Nam, Da Nang to Hue, and even Phu Yen. The erratic weather has left two dead and many others injured, whilst it has also ripped roofs from homes, sank hundreds of fishing vessels, and washed away or damaged thousands of fishing rafts. Tens of thousands of hectares of ripening rice and subsidiary crops have been submerged under water.

“It’s too unusual,” said national weather experts when discussing the recent weather patterns occurring in central Vietnam. The region is often impacted by cold air waves from the north or equatorial depressions in March and early April. After four months of enduring heat waves between May and August, the region is entering the rainy season, starting in September with a convergence of conditions such as storms, combined with tropical convergence bands and other topographical factors.

“It is very rare that the central region has endured a very strong vortex low pressure that caused heavy rain, hailstorms and floods in the middle of the dry season as seen in the past few days,” said Le Thi Xuan Lan, a hydro-meteorological forecasting expert.

Concurring with Lan’s view, Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Huy, a climate change expert, said the recent flooding which has hit the central region was not caused by the Xiaoman flood which usually occurs on May 22 or beyond. However, he did not rule out the possibility of early storms forming and moving in a strange trajectory in the East Sea in April as opposed to in the summer or autumn.

Questions arise over next steps

Vietnam has consistently recorded spells of erratic weather patterns over recent years. Apart from the unusual spells of heavy rain and flooding which hit the central region, localities in the north recently endured cold spells which can be viewed as the longest and strongest in the past decade.

Indeed, the 2021 - 2022 winter lasted long time with temperatures measured one to two degrees Celsius lower than the average recorded in previous years. Cold air waves irregularly intensified in March and early April, causing temperatures to stay one to five degrees Celsius lower than the average seen in previous years during the same period.

In its national environment report for the 2016 - 2020 period, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment pointed out that extreme weather patterns such as prolonged drought, severe flooding, extreme cold spells, and saltwater infiltration have typically occurred throughout the year in recent times, even in months that rarely see such adverse weather phenomena.

A prime example of this is in 2016 when people in the central and southern regions experienced largest drought and saltwater intrusion over the past 90 years, affecting over 50 localities across the country. As a result, a total of 18 provinces were forced to declare a state of emergency.

Furthermore, the 2019 heat wave saw daytime temperatures in Ha Tinh province in central Vietnam hit 43.4 degrees Celsius, a record high in the history of the country’s hydro-meteorology.

Moving forward, erratic weather patterns are likely to become fiercer and increase in intensity, said Xuan Lan, adding that local people have no choice but to adapt to these adverse conditions.

The most important thing, according to the expert, is for the hydro-meteorological forecasting sector to conduct more research projects and provide more accurate forecasts, while localities should pay close attention to early warnings to devise timely instructions. In addition, localities should intensify communications to raise public awareness about natural disasters, climate change, and prevention measures.

The more knowledge people are equipped with, the fewer heavy losses they will suffer, said Xuan Lan.

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