Ho Chi Minh City: Torrential rain accompanied by strong winds and lightning.

(NLĐO) - Heavy rain poured down in many areas of Ho Chi Minh City in the early afternoon today, accompanied by strong winds and lightning.

According to observations, from morning to noon on May 18th, the weather in Ho Chi Minh City remained hot and humid for an extended period.

Around 2 PM, strong gusts of wind appeared in many areas, followed by heavy rain accompanied by whistling wind and thunder.

In the Hong Bang street area (formerly District 5), heavy rain poured down for about 20 minutes before gradually subsiding, and other areas also experienced rain ranging from scattered to heavy.

The sudden heavy rain caught many people off guard, leaving them soaked while commuting.

At nearly 2 PM on the same day, the Southern Vietnam Meteorological and Hydrological Station reported that, based on satellite cloud imagery, weather radar, and lightning location data, a strong convective cloud system was developing and causing rain accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in many areas of Ho Chi Minh City, including: Binh Tien ward (near Hung Vuong Primary School), Vinh Tan ward, Binh Co ward (near Binh My market), Tan Uyen ward (Tan Uyen Ward People's Committee), Tan Hiep ward (Tan Hiep Ward People's Committee), Binh Loi commune (Hamlet 9), Tan Nhut commune, Binh Hung commune, Xuan Thoi Son commune (Tan Lap hamlet), and Minh Thanh commune (Hoa Cuong hamlet).

People struggled to move around in the heavy rain.

Over the next 3 hours, convective clouds will continue to develop, causing showers accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning in the aforementioned areas, and potentially spreading to other nearby locations.

The heavy, prolonged rain forced many people to take shelter under the eaves of houses along the roadside.

Rainfall is expected to range from 5-20 mm, with some areas receiving over 30 mm. During thunderstorms, people should be wary of tornadoes, lightning, hail, and strong gusts of wind (8-17 m/second) at levels 5-7. Heavy rain also poses a risk of localized flooding in many low-lying areas.

Currently, Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region have officially entered the rainy season, with heavy rains occurring mainly in the late afternoon and evening.

The meteorological agency also advises people to proactively bring raincoats and umbrellas when going out, and to limit travel during heavy rain to avoid traffic congestion or incidents caused by flooding.

In addition, thunderstorms are often accompanied by lightning and strong gusts of wind, so people should seek safe shelter and avoid standing under large trees, power poles, or other objects that could easily fall.

Images of people moving around Ho Chi Minh City during heavy rain:

Source: https://nld.com.vn/mua-lon-trut-xuong-tphcm-kem-theo-gio-manh-va-sam-set-196260518144757955.htm