A severe storm, accompanied by hailstones and strong winds, caused extensive damage across Thanh Hoa province on the night of 17/4 and into the early morning of 18/4. The most significant damage was reported at Thieu Duong secondary school in Ham Rong ward, where approximately 250 m2 of its tin roof was ripped off.

The tin roof of Thieu Duong secondary school was blown off in the early morning of 18/4. *Photo: Vu Quang*

Around 11:30 PM on 17/4, the season's first thunderstorm, marked by lightning, strong winds, and hailstones, swept through Ham Rong ward. Residents reported hailstones as large as chicken eggs. "The falling hail made a very loud noise, startling the children in the house who cried out", said Nguyen Thi Minh, a resident of Ham Rong ward.

While the hailstorm lasted only a few minutes, the accompanying strong winds persisted until early morning. Many households woke to discover punctured tin roofs, broken tiles, and trees in their gardens blown down.

Officials from Thieu Duong secondary school stated that the storm lifted the entire roof section from learning block B, which then landed on the grounds of the adjacent Thieu Duong Kindergarten. Several trees in the secondary schoolyard were broken and felled, with branches and leaves scattered. This morning, teachers and school staff gathered to clean the premises, ensuring safety for students to return to normal classes.

Hailstone as big as a chicken egg. *Photo: Vu Quang*

Thieu Duong Kindergarten also sustained damage, with a portion of its tin roof blown off and many auxiliary structures impacted by debris from the secondary school. Le Thi Thanh, Vice Chairwoman of Ham Rong Ward People's Committee, confirmed that beyond the damage at the two schools, the storm also caused the collapse of fences at some households and flattened many crop areas. "Many residents said this is the first time they have witnessed hail appearing in a lowland area like this, as previously, this phenomenon typically only occurred in mountainous regions", Thanh added.

The plastic awning of a household in Ham Rong ward was riddled with holes by hailstones. *Photo: Vu Quang*

More than 10 km from Ham Rong, in Hoang Giang commune, Tran Anh Tuyen, Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, reported that on the night of 17/4, the locality also experienced thunderstorms with hail in some areas of Hoang Hop and the former Hoang Giang communes. "The hailstorm appeared for a short period, and the local authorities are now reviewing to compile statistics on damage to homes and crops", Tuyen said.

Initial reports indicated that storms, lightning, and hailstones occurred in numerous communes and wards within the former Thanh Hoa city area, the former Dong Son and Thieu Hoa districts, and surrounding regions. Additionally, heavy rainfall was reported in areas including Nhu Xuan, Nhu Thanh, Nong Cong, the former Ha Trung, Nghi Son town, Bim Son, and several other localities.

Trees in the Thieu Duong secondary school grounds were broken and felled during last night's storm. *Photo: Vu Quang*

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, from the night of 16/4 to 17/4, a cold air mass compressing a low-pressure trough combined with wind convergence at 1,500 meters caused moderate to heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms across the northern region (excluding Lai Chau and Dien Bien) and Thanh Hoa. Rainfall amounts commonly ranged from 20-40 mm, with some areas exceeding 100 mm.

The meteorological agency warned that storms could continue to bring whirlwinds, lightning, hail, and strong gusts, causing damage to agricultural production, felling trees, and damaging homes and infrastructure. Additionally, mountainous areas should be wary of flash floods on small rivers and streams, and landslides in hilly, sloping regions. Low-lying areas and urban centers could experience localized flooding if heavy rainfall persists. Residents are advised to proactively reinforce their homes, protect their property, and limit outdoor activities during severe thunderstorms.

Le Hoang