In Sa Pa (Lao Cai), the temperature on the top of Fansipan dropped to -80C on the night of January 11 and early morning of January 12. The phenomenon of ice and snow covering the mountain top created a beautiful, majestic but also harsh scene.
Not only Fansipan, other high mountain peaks such as Ta Xua (Yen Bai), Phia Oac (Cao Bang), or Lao Than (Y Ty, Lao Cai) also recorded frost, with temperatures dropping below 00C.
Huddled in makeshift houses, the wind howling through the cracks in the wood, Ms. Mua Thi Say (La Pan Tan commune, Mu Cang Chai district, Yen Bai province) shared: “The colder it gets from midnight to morning, my family always has to burn firewood to keep warm. If there was no wood stove in the middle of the house, I don’t know what would happen to us.”
In Y Ty commune (Bat Xat district, Lao Cai), herds of buffalo and cows wandered in the cold, their breaths billowing out in a hazy cloud of smoke. Mr. Ly A Pao, a local resident, stood huddled next to the herd of buffalo, his eyes filled with worry: “In this cold, buffalo and cows stop eating and are susceptible to disease. Every winter, we are afraid of losing our livestock.”
But for the people of the highlands, each winter is an uncompromising battle with the harsh nature. By the flickering fire in the small kitchen, stories of the bitter cold seasons, of the times when livestock collapsed in the cold, are always haunting.
In Cao Bang, in the deep valleys of Nguyen Binh district, ice is thick on the roofs, and straw is also frozen. Mr. Hoang Van Thang - a long-time livestock farmer - shared: "This prolonged cold spell is very dangerous. If we do not collect dry straw and firewood to warm the cattle, they can easily freeze to death or suffer heat stroke when the ice melts. Every time there is a severe cold spell, we, the highland people, are restless."
The simple barns, hastily covered with old tarpaulins and dry straw, seemed unable to withstand the bone-chilling cold. The cries of the cattle mixed with the wind whistling through the ravines made the people here even more uneasy.
Speaking to reporters, the leader of the People's Committee of Mu Cang Chai district said that, in the face of severe weather conditions, local authorities quickly advised people to reinforce barns, stock up on dry food and limit free-range livestock.
Accordingly, the District People's Committee has directed professional staff to regularly stay close to the grassroots, coordinate with the People's Committees of communes to propagate and guide people to implement measures to prevent and combat cold for crops and livestock, focusing on contents such as: Instructions on expanding the area of planting trees for grass-fed livestock, preserving, storing, and processing animal feed; reinforcing livestock barns and areas, fully preparing necessary items such as tarpaulins, straw, stubble, nylon... to promptly respond when severe cold spells occur.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting also warned that this cold spell could last longer, with the risk of frost and frost continuing, posing a serious threat to livestock. Amid the bitter cold of the mountains and forests, people and animals are struggling together, hoping to get through the cold winter to welcome the warm sunny days of early spring.
