On June 5, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., Hanoi experienced an intense lightning activity with over 10,200 bolts recorded in the sky. Of these, more than 7,000 struck the ground. The General Department of Hydrometeorology reported that on average, there are over 470 lightning strikes hitting the ground every ten minutes in Vietnam. The strongest activity occurred between 7:40 and 8:50 a.m., with thunder and lightning observed in various areas around Hanoi.
According to Mr. Nguyen Duc Phuong, Head of the Weather Radar Department at the National Hydrometeorological Network Center, Vietnam has a network of 18 lightning location stations connected to an international system that can detect lightning within a range of 400-600 km, including at sea and near neighboring countries’ borders.
Real-time data on lightning events are analyzed, displayed, and stored using this network. Statistics show that the number of lightning strikes in Hanoi on June 5 was within normal ranges compared to previous thunderstorms in the region.
Vietnam is prone to high lightning activity due to its location in the center of Asian thunderstorms. The country experiences up to 2 million lightning strikes annually, with thunderstorms being more frequent in mountainous and delta regions.
To mitigate risks and ensure public safety during severe weather conditions, the National Hydrometeorological Network Center operates a system for monitoring lightning on their website, providing risk warnings and radar information to help prevent lighting-related incidents.
Overall, while Hanoi experienced intense lightning activity on June 5
