A massive surge of Hanoians have been flocking to swimming pools in recent days to escape the intense heatwave hitting the north of Vietnam this the week. The drastic increase of swimmers has created problems of overcrowding in the city’s swimming pools.
On these sweltering hot days, Trinh Quang Nang spends two hours every day from 4 to 6 am at a nearby swimming pool as a way to escape the awful weather.
Nang, a pupil at Thang Long primary school, Hanoi said "It’s crowded here but I still come because swimming is good for my health. Not to mention, it’s one way to ease the heat."
Indoor swimming pools are favoured by most swimmers in Hanoi. These swimming pools often welcome 400 to 500 people a day, tripling or even quadrupling the ordinal number of daily visitors.
Ngo Thi Phuong Mai, a parent in Hoan Kiem district said "I often send my kid here after school because firstly swimming is good, and secondly it is an indoor one which prevents them from too much sun exposure."
6pm at Olympia Swimming Pool.
Despite being an outdoor swimming pool, it is still jam-packed with kids. There is barely any room to move with so many people in the water. However, it is still a not-so-bad option for families as it temporarily revives them from sweltering days. Not to mention, it offers plenty of opportunities for children’s games.
Hoang Quoc Dung, a pupil in Hoan Kiem district said "I like this better than indoor swimming pools as the indoor ones are stifling."
According to Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, a parent in Dong Da district said "Swimming in such pools with active games allows kids to have more fun."
Given the sudden influx of swimmers during hot days, swimming pools face the challenge of sustaining the water’s hygiene levels as summer is also a season in which illnesses often spread.
Dong Thien Chi, a swimming teacher at Olympia Swimming Pool, Tang Bat Ho Street, Hanoi said "during summer, we have to check the water quality every hour in order to keep it clean."
The swimming pool is an ideal solution for relief on hot summer days. However, parents also need to stay alert to prevent kids from catching diseases, drowning, or other overcrowding-related accidents while at swimming pools. -VNA
