Lightning over the Ring Road 3 area on Hanoi outskirts at 6 p.m. on May 28.

After several days of fierce heat, Hanoi was hit by a thunderstorm with strong winds around 5 p.m. on May 28. Lightning struck repeatedly across many areas, while heavy localized rain in wards outside the center brought some relief from the heat.

The meteorological agency said convective clouds were continuing to build, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms across Hanoi, with whirlwinds, lightning, hail and strong gusts forecast for tonight.

Photo by Ngoc Thanh