Vietnam Faces Devastation as Typhoon Yagi Leads to Record Flooding and Landslides
On Thursday, the agency responsible for emergency management in Vietnam revealed that at least 197 people have lost their lives due to the catastrophic landslides and floods triggered by Typhoon Yagi. The disaster has also left at least 128 individuals missing and approximately 800 others injured.
After wreaking havoc in the Philippines and China over the weekend, Typhoon Yagi brought heavy rains and fierce winds to northeastern Vietnam, causing significant initial damage. Although the storm has now weakened, the country continues to grapple with unprecedented flooding in some of its most densely populated regions, which includes the capital city, Hanoi.
Meteorologists have reported that Yagi is the most powerful storm to strike Vietnam in the last thirty years. The storm has already claimed 24 lives across southern China and the Philippines. In Vietnam, it has caused the collapse of bridges, uprooted roofs from buildings, and devastated entire villages.
The provinces that felt the brunt of the typhoon's fury initially were Haiphong and Quang Ninh, located to the east and northeast of Hanoi along the coast, where extensive damage to factories, power outages, and flooding occurred. As the typhoon surged inland, it persisted in delivering heavy rain and winds with gusts reaching up to 150 kilometers per hour in both Hanoi and the surrounding northern regions. The province bearing the most fatalities and injuries has been Lao Cai, a mountainous area near the Chinese border, where mudslides have decimated the village of Lang Nu, home to 35 families. Currently, state television station VTV has reported that 22 bodies have been recovered from the ruins.
In the aftermath of the disaster, emergency responders continue their operations in Lang Nu, trying to rescue those trapped and provide aid to the affected communities.
In recent days, tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated from their homes as safety measures. Most factories and schools remain closed, and the Ministry of Agriculture has reported that the floods have destroyed over 2,000 square kilometers of rice fields and other crops. The destruction has also impacted livestock, claiming the lives of one and a half million animals, including chickens and ducks, as well as hundreds of pigs and cattle.
Several neighborhoods in Hanoi are underwater, affecting its metropolitan population of over 85 million residents. The Red River, which runs through the city, has reached its highest levels in the past two decades, prompting thousands to flee their homes. According to forecasts from the national meteorological agency, water levels are not expected to recede before Friday, as heavy rains continue in provinces north of the capital, such as Thai Nguyen.
As of now, there are no concrete estimates of the damage caused by the typhoon and subsequent flooding. The Vietnamese military has been mobilized to assist in emergency operations and rescue efforts. In response to the crisis, several countries, including Australia, Japan, and the United States, have offered to send aid and support to Vietnam during this challenging time.
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