Hanoi (VNA) - The National Centre forHydro-Meteorological Forecasting (NCHMF) has warned of prolonged hotweather over the coming days.

Nguyen Van Huong, head of the Weather ForecastDivision under the NCHMF, said that average temperatures this summer wouldbe higher than previous years by 0.5-1 degree Celsius at 39-41 degree Celsius.

This month, hot spells will occur much innortheastern provinces whereas in July and August, the hot spells will occur incentral-northern and central provinces, said Huong.

The prolonged hot weather not only harmspeople’s health with dehydration, exhaustion and stroke risks, but also affectsocio-economic development, he said.

To limit losses, the NCHMF will regularlyprovide weather updates to the press and steering committees for search andrescue, said Huong.

The ultraviolet (UV) warning indicator yesterdaywas from seven to 10 in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and the central city of Da Nang,putting humans at high risk of harm.

Scorching weather across the country in recentdays has driven power consumption to a record high. 

Power volume consumed on May 18 reached 756.9million kWh following heat waves nationwide, mostly in the north and centralregions, according to the Vietnam Electricity Group (EVN). 

On May 17 this year, consumed power volume was755 million kWh, beating the record high of 725 million kWh on July 3 lastyear. 

In terms of power capacity, the maximum poweroutput or peak power output hit 36,006MW, the highest-ever capacity in Vietnam,said Vu Xuan Khu, deputy head of the National Load Dispatch Centre (NLDC) underthe EVN. 

The EVN was under pressure to supply enoughpower, he said.

To have enough power for national consumption,the NLDC has mobilised power from different sources since April and nearly 100solar power projects would be connected to the national grid before the end ofthis month, deputy general director of EVN Ngo Son Hai. 

In addition, EVN plans to work with PetroVietnamPower Corporation and Vinacomin Power Corporation to utilise power fromhydropower, coal-fired, gas-fueled, and diesel-fueled power plants to feed theeconomy, Hai said.-VNA