Struggling to make ends meet in a sweltering rented room.

TPO - The scorching heat is turning cramped dormitories in Da Nang into a nightmare. In stuffy spaces without air conditioning, many workers and students struggle hour by hour to cope with the oppressive heat.

​

Outdoor temperatures in Da Nang have remained high for several days, sometimes reaching 40 degrees Celsius. The daily lives of residents have been disrupted by the heat. Photo: QA-YN

In the workers' dormitories around industrial zones and student-dense areas like Lien Chieu, Cam Le, and Son Tra, rows of cramped rooms with corrugated iron roofs are struggling under the scorching sun. Throughout the day, the roofs absorb a large amount of heat, making the small, cramped rooms stuffy and sweltering, like "steam ovens." The rooms are always kept closed, a far cry from the usual lively atmosphere.

​

The cramped rooms, lacking insulation, were always stuffy and stiflingly hot.

Le Duy Tan (19 years old, a worker) shared: “This year's hot season is much harsher. I really want to move to a better rented room, but unfortunately, my financial situation doesn't allow it yet, partly because I haven't found a suitable new place.”

All daily activities for the four family members—Tân, his parents, and a younger sibling—from eating and sleeping to cooking, are crammed into a small space of less than 15 square meters. Without air conditioning, the tiled floor is the perfect place for the worker to find a fitful sleep after a tiring workday.

Not only workers, but many students are also struggling to cope with the harsh weather. In his cramped, hot rented room, Phuc (a student at the University of Technology, Da Nang University) shared that the period from 11 am to 2 pm is when the room becomes stifling and suffocating, like a "furnace." Despite the oppressive heat, Phuc only dares to use a fan instead of installing an air conditioner because all living expenses depend on his parents back home. "No matter how hot it is, I have to endure it, keep the fan on constantly, and try to get through this hot season," Phuc said.

"The heat is so intense it gives me a headache. I clean the house two or three times a day to keep it cooler," said Ho Chi Phuc (a student at the Vietnam-Korea University of Information and Communication Technology) .

The prolonged heat makes the air stuffy and humid even after sunset. This disrupts daily routines, causes insomnia, and leaves students and working people feeling sluggish, exhausted, and susceptible to respiratory illnesses. "It's easy to get dehydrated in this weather, so I become irritable and lose my appetite; all I want is to drink cool water. Many days, after work, I don't want to go straight back to my rented room because it's so stuffy and suffocating," said Bao Chau (24 years old, living in a small rented room in Hoa Tho Tay ward).

Meanwhile, Ms. Le Thi Mai (living in a small rented room in Hoa Khanh ward) said she had never felt the weather as hot and stuffy as it is now. “The peak of the hot weather makes the room feel stifling, cramped, and uncomfortable. Every noon I have to go outside to get some fresh air and find a place to breathe, because I can't stand sitting in the room due to the heat and stuffiness,” Ms. Mai said.

​

Air-conditioned cafes have become ideal escapes from the heat for many students during exam season. Le Thi Tuyet Mai (a second-year student at the University of Technology, Da Nang University) said: “Living in a dorm without air conditioning is so stuffy, it’s impossible to concentrate on studying. During this season, I often go to cafes to study, buy a drink, and sit there reviewing for about 5-6 hours.”

To ensure good health during hot weather, doctors advise people to stay hydrated and proactively cover themselves, wipe floors to reduce room temperature. In particular, avoid taking cold showers immediately after being in the sun to prevent the risk of heat shock and stroke.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/xoay-xo-giua-phong-tro-ngay-do-lua-post1847017.tpo