Authorities in the central provinces yesterday warned farmers and outdoor manual labourers of the dangers of lightning and heat, which have claimed the lives of some workers.

Farmers in the central region are working under the blazing sun.

It has been forecast that the prolonged heat wave, with temperatures of about 37 to 40 degrees Celsius in the central region, will continue for several weeks. Farmers and workers who work outdoors have been told to be careful.

On Tuesday, a 49-year-old farmer was killed by lightning when he was working in his rice field. This is the second case of lightning death in Thua Thien - Hue Province and the ninth in the central region in a month.

Earlier, three people in Quang Tri and four in Quang Nam and Quang Ngai were killed by lightning when they were working outdoors.

On Monday, a 60-year-old woman and a 51-year-old man suffered heat strokes in a rice field at about 10am. They died despite the attempts made by local people to save them.

Many farmers and construction workers continue to work outdoors in temperatures of nearly 40 degrees Celsius. Authorities have told them to change their schedule to avoid the heat.

They have also warned people working in areas prone to lightning to avoid open fields or standing near tall trees during potential lightning storms. 

VNS