Icy weather brought winter chills to the Mau Son Tourism Area in mountainous Lang Son Province this morning after a severe cold spell hit northern Viet Nam, according to the provincial Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre.

Photo: Vnexpress

Temperatures dropped to minus 0.6 degrees at 7am and rains made the weather even more severe, said Ha Van Tien, director of the provincial centre.

Day-time temperatures are no higher than 4-6 degrees Celsius in other areas in the province, he said.

According to Tien, the temperature in the area is forecast to drop even lower during the next three days.

Local primary and secondary schools have allowed students to stay home due to the cold snap.

The Ha Noi Education and Training Department has required education and training offices to adjust school times so children do not have to attend school early in the morning when conditions are especially cold.

In addition, schools have been asked to ensure class rooms have proper windows and doors as well as lighting systems.

Primary students are allowed to stay at home on days when temperatures drop below 10 degree Celsius; while secondary students do not have to attend school if the temperature drops below 7 degree Celsius.

Parents are able to stay updated with weather forecasts by tuning into updates on Viet Nam Television's VTV1 channel at 6am everyday.

Nguyen Thi Hang, principal at a kindergarten in Ha Noi's Ba Dinh District, said 170 out of their 650 students have not come to classes since Tuesday due to the cold spell.

The situation is the same on Ha Noi's outskirts.

"Only 137 students went to school on Wednesday out of a total of 560," said Hoang Nhat Le, principal of Tan Vien Kindergarten School in mountainous Ba Vi District.

We have adjusted school times and provided more blankets, warm water and slippers to keep students warm, she said.

Source:  VNS