HANOI, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam could see a new average temperature record this year, with some parts of the country hit by drought or saltwater intrusion, fuelled by anticipated return of the El Nino phenomenon, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Wednesday.
El Nino is likely to form in Vietnam this summer, with a 70-80 percent chance of the weather pattern persisting into 2024, said Mai Van Khiem, head of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecast.
El Nino typically suppresses rainfall, thus the average rainfall across Vietnam is expected to drop 25-50 percent, the expert said.
Drought conditions are likely to develop in some parts of the Southeast Asian country, which means less water available for electricity generation and agriculture production over the dry season, he added.
Khiem also warned about high risks of El Nino-induced saline water intrusion which Vietnam had experienced in 2015-2016 and 2019-2020.
These extreme weather conditions can severely affect regions producing key agricultural export and food security crops such as rice, coffee, fruits and aquaculture.
The state-run Electricity of Vietnam has repeatedly warned of electricity shortages this summer amid low hydropower output coupled with rising demand.
There are already signs that extreme weather conditions will continue to worsen this year in Vietnam.
Earlier this month, the northern and central provinces were struck by a heatwave, with the temperature reaching a record high of 44.2 degrees Celsius in the central province of Nghe An.
The national weather center said the heat is expected to persist until the end of May, leading to a rise in average temperatures by about 0.5-1 degree Celsius from last year. ■