Record heatwave blasts northern Vietnam

Northern Viet Nam is sweltering under a blistering heatwave, with 17 places across seven provinces reporting record highs for the month of August and electricity demand spiking as people try to stay cool, authorities said Tuesday.

One weather station in downtown Hanoi recorded a high of 40.3C. The air humidity in Hanoi and the delta area on Monday was only up to 52 percent, causing a distinct feeling of dryness and heat," according to the statement released by Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Environment.