The recent abnormal weather conditions have indicated that natural disasters will be unpredictable in the time ahead, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

A house collapsed as a result of whirlwinds in Tua Chua district of Dien Bien province 

Head of the centre’s weather forecasting division Tran Quang Nang said gales and whirlwinds occur in Vietnam mostly from March to May, which is the transition period between the cold and hot weather and between the dry and rainy seasons. Hailstorms also appear this time, especially in mountainous areas.

However, hails were recorded right in mid-February 2019, indicating that the rainy season with dangerous weather phenomena like whirlwinds, gales, lightning and hailstorms is around the corner. Additionally, the recent temperature has been higher than the average of many years.

Given these, weather conditions are likely to be complicated in the coming time, he noted.

Nang advised people and administrations of localities to keep a close watch on weather forecasts to stay ready to respond to natural disasters and extreme weather phenomena.

As of 7pm of February 18, hailstorms and whirlwinds had left one people missing, three others injured and property damage initially estimated at about 26 billion VND (1.1 million USD) in the northern mountainous provinces of Thai Nguyen, Lao Cai, Dien Bien, Bac Kan, Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang, according to the office of the committee for natural disaster response, search and rescue.-VNA