Downtown Hanoi has become deserted during peak sunshine hours as people stay indoors to avoid the torrid weather. 

The normally crowded area around Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake in downtown Hanoi is deserted at noon on Saturday.

The northern region has been hit by a heat wave in recent days, with temperatures in Hanoi peaking at 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, on Saturday. The temperatures on Sunday have been forecast to range around 38-40 degrees Celsius.

On Kham Thien Street, a man walks past a sign that shows the real-feel temperature reading 45 degrees Celsius at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

On Nguyen Chanh Street, a woman protects herself from the blazing sun, a familiar sight on the streets these days. 

Data from Weather Online, a U.K. meteorological services firm, showed the UV index in Hanoi was at a 'very high' level of 10 on Saturday, meaning radiation that could burn skin and damage eyes in 20-30 minutes.

A senior sweats in the Old Quarter in Hoan Kiem District. The heat wave has left days sizzling hot from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A motorbike driver stops near Long Bien Bridge for a drink to avoid dehydration. 

On Nguyen Dinh Thi Street, a man pours water on his car to cool it down.

The consumption of ice cubes has increased sharply. Thao, a delivery man removing packs of ice cubes to supply shops on Ngoc Ha Street, said: "These days the amount of ice cubes delivered to customers could be doubled. On a normal day I only deliver 200 packs but now the figure has climbed to 300."

A homeless man takes a nap on a park bench under an umbrella while other people rest under trees.