HÀ NỘI — The Earth experienced its strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades on May 10, with Việt Nam directly in its path.

Classified at Level 5, the storm has produced dazzling auroras but also posed a risk of disrupting satellites and power grids as it is expected to linger until the end of this week.

Asso. Prof Hà Duyên Châu, former Director of the Institute of Geophysics at the Việt Nam Academy of Science and Technology, said geomagnetic storm negatively affects human health as it strongly impacts the nervous and cardiovascular systems.

Studies have shown potential increases in heart rate and blood pressure, especially among the elderly. Additionally, white blood cell counts may decrease during a storm, potentially contributing to the spread of certain diseases like cholera, plague, influenza, typhoid, and meningitis. However, it is important to note that healthy people are generally unaffected. The most susceptible include those with neurological or cardiovascular diseases, or sensitive to magnetic fields. Symptoms can range from fatigue, restlessness to death in extreme cases.

Asso. Prof Nguyễn Xuân Anh, Director of the Institute of Geophysics, said Việt Nam now has four stations dedicated to monitoring magnetic variations and geomagnetic storms, supporting research and forecasting. They are located in Phú Thuỵ, the outlying district of Gia Lâm, Hà Nội; Sapa in the northern mountainous province of Lào Cai; Đà Lạt in the Central Highlands province of Lâm Đồng; and the Mekong Delta province of Bạc Liêu,

However, only the Phú Thuỵ and Đà Lạt stations are able to transmit data directly to the institute and international monitoring networks.

In Việt Nam, continuous monitoring of the Earth's magnetic field and long-term forecasting (approximately 30 days) have only recently been implemented. Short-term magnetic storm forecasting (approximately 30 minutes to one day) has not yet been done due to insufficient equipment and data.

The institute plans to upgrade geomagnetic and ionospheric data collection stations with modern digital magnetometers to enhance the quality of research and storm forecasting, he said, adding that it will collaborate with Japan to repair the magnetic field recording equipment at the Bạc Liêu station. — VNS