It is forecast that the cold wave will spread to the North-Central, Northwestern and mid-Central regions at night on the same day.
From Sunday late, temperatures in the capital city of Hanoi may drop to 12 degrees Celsius while low temperatures and drizzle will cause slippery roads in mountainous areas, increasing the risk of traffic accidents, especially on key highways such as National Highway No.6, National Highway No.2, National Highway No.279, National Highway No.3 and the Noi Bai - Lao Cai Expressway.
Amid the current bad weather conditions, authorities have recommended vehicles to reduce speed, maintain a safe distance and turn on low-beam headlights in foggy conditions.
Passenger buses and trucks should carefully check their brake pedals and tires to ensure safety when traveling on dangerous mountain passes.
Local authorities may consider road closures or restrictions on heavy trucks in hazardous areas during severe weather conditions.
As observed by Sai Gon Giai Phong (SGGP) Newspaper’s reporters, in recent days, traffic accidents have occurred on arterial roads in the Northern region such as National Highway No. 6, National Highway No. 2 and National Highway No. 279. Of these, the most serious incident happened on National Highway No. 6, resulting in six fatalities at the scene and eight others injured.
At that time, the accident occurred amid drizzle and slippery road conditions.
During the past week, the Northern localities have experienced humid and misty weather with dense layers of fog and drizzle in the early mornings and evenings, significantly reducing visibility for vehicles as well as increasing the risk of traffic accidents.
Traffic police forces in several Northern mountainous provinces, including Hoa Binh, Son La, Lao Cai, Yen Bai and Ha Giang, have continuously issued warnings about the increased risk of traffic accidents on steep roads and mountain passes.
On February 22, the capital city of Hanoi and the entire Northern region continued to experience drizzle, high humidity and dense fog.
In the afternoon on the same day, the National Center for Hydrological and Meteorological Forecasting issued a warning about a severe cold wave over the Northern and Central Vietnam in the coming days.
