Over 2,160 cattle were killed or starved to death as of January 30 as a result of the cold spell that was raging across mountainous areas of the north, central and Central Highlands regions, said Head of the Department of Livestock Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Hoang Thanh Van.

A buffalo dying in the cold snap is sold in Sa Pa district, Lao Cai province 

Northern mountainous localities have been suffering the greatest damage, especially Cao Bang and Lao Cai provinces, which have lost 666 and 440 head of livestock, respectively. They are followed by Dien Bien province with 400 cattle and Hoa Binh with 250 cattle.

The department has asked local authorities to quickly respond to protect their animals from the cold and avoid further losses.

Frost extends in northern region

A cold wave which hit the northern region on January 28 has lowered temperatures in the northern and northern central localities. The cold snap is expected to last for 10 days. 

Another intense cold spell hit the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai on January 31 with the temperature going down to 1.2 degrees Celsius. At 8:00 am on January 31, snow started to fall on the Fansipan mountain, which is the highest in Indochina at 3,143m, then on the area of Bac (Silver) waterfall – about 12km from Sa Pa town, Lao Cai province.

Many places in the north of Vietnam are covered in frost due to the longest lasting intense cold spell in two years, said the National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting.

Temperatures in northern mountainous provinces have dropped to 0 degree Celsius in Sa Pa of Lao Cai and minus 0.4 degree Celsius in Mau Son of Lang Son province.

Meanwhile, Hanoi on January 31 recorded a low temperature of 9.7 degrees Celsius and even lower in the city’s outskirts.

Snowfall occurred not only on Fansipan mountain, Mau Son and Phia Oac but also on the O Quy Ho pass and Bat Xat district of Lao Cai province.

On February 1, the temperature is estimated to be no higher than 16 degrees Celsius in daytime in northern localities and seven degrees in mountainous areas.

The cold areas extended to the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, with temperatures in the north central province of Thanh Hoa below 13 degrees Celsius.

A cold wave which hit the northern region on January 28 has lowered temperatures in northern and northern central localities. The cold snap is expected to last for 10 days.

Another intense cold spell hit Lao Cai province on January 31 with the temperature falling to 1.2 degrees Celsius. The same day, snow started to fall on Fansipan mountain, which is the highest in Indochina at 3,143m, then on the area of Bac (Silver) waterfall – about 12km from Sa Pa town to the west.

VNA