Environment

More than 2,000 square metres of natural forest in Ia Puch Commune, Gia Lai Province, has been illegally cleared, with authorities suspecting the land was encroached on for farming.

Vietnam may experience longer and more intense heat waves in 2026 as the El Nino climate pattern is expected to re-emerge toward the end of the year, warn meteorological experts.

Residents and tourists have flocked to a riverbank in Danang after bright red and yellow formations, dubbed “blooming rocks”, appeared on a large stone along the Tram River.

Vietnam’s National Remote Sensing Department has identified 110 air pollution hotspots in Hanoi, including 14 craft villages, 68 major construction sites and 30 rice-straw burning areas.

A resident in Quy Nhon Nam Ward, Gia Lai Province, found a 1.7-kilogramme striped-neck turtle in his garden and handed the rare animal over to authorities on March 3.

A cold front is set to bring heavy rain to northern Vietnam on March 4, with temperatures in some areas forecast to fall by 7-8 degrees Celsius to 15-18 degrees.

A 20-minute whirlwind in Quang Ngai Province ripped roofs off 116 homes and caused widespread structural damage, local authorities said.

Police in Thanh Hoa Province are investigating a group accused of dumping large quantities of waste into the sea.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has announced an adjustment to the schedule for the launch ceremony of a nationwide campaign in response to Earth Hour 2026, together with its accompanying run.

A young man in Long Cang Commune, Tay Ninh Province, has handed over a rare monitor lizard to local police after realising it was a protected wild animal.

A large-scale biodiversity survey by Fauna & Flora International and Pu Mat National Park in Nghe An recorded numerous rare and threatened species, underscoring the area’s ecological integrity.

A rare pangolin was discovered on a street in the central province of Quang Tri and handed over to police.

Temperatures in northern Vietnam are forecast to rise sharply to as high as 32 degrees Celsius before scattered showers return from early March.

A teenager in Danang has handed over a rare pangolin discovered in his family’s garden to local police, and the animal has since been released back into the wild.

A rare pygmy slow loris was rescued from a pack of dogs in Phan Thiet Ward, Lam Dong Province, before being released back into the wild.

Northern Vietnam is forecast to see sunny afternoons from February 28 to March 2, with temperatures ranging from 21 to 30 degrees Celsius, ending a recent period of rain and humidity.

Authorities in Quang Tri have handed over a small-clawed otter to the Cuc Phuong National Park and the Wildlife Rescue Centre in Vietnam for further care and rehabilitation.

Vietnamese skywatchers will have the chance to witness a total lunar eclipse on March 3, with the next one not expected for nearly three years.

Saltwater intrusion in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is forecast to advance nearly 60 kilometres inland in the coming days, heightening concerns over agriculture and freshwater supplies.