Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Vietnam in decades has killed at least 59 people. The storm has triggered deadly landslides and flooding.
Also Read: Super Typhoon Yagi: 2 Dead and 92 Injured in China and Headed Toward Vietnam
Typhoon Yagi made landfall on Vietnam’s northeastern coast on Saturday, September 7, 2024 with wind speeds reaching up to 149 kph.
The death toll has risen to 59 with most of the fatalities resulting from landslides and floods that occurred after the typhoon had weakened.
Nine people died when the typhoon made landfall, but the floods and landslides were responsible for at least 50 more deaths, according to VN Express.
The mountainous regions of Vietnam including the provinces of Cao Bang and Hoa Binh were affected.
A steel bridge over the Red River in Phu Tho province collapsed on Monday, September 9, 2024. The bridge, which was packed with vehicles including 10 cars, trucks and two motorbikes, gave way under the pressure of the raging waters below.
Thirteen people are reported missing, while three people were pulled from the river and rushed to the hospital. The authorities fear that more casualties may be discovered as rescue operations continue.
Over 5.7 million people lost power as dozens of power lines were destroyed by the storm. By Monday, authorities had restored power to approximately 75% of affected areas, but thousands of households and businesses were still struggling with power disruptions.
Haiphong, home to many manufacturing plants suffered damage to its industrial zones. The DEEP C industrial park, which hosts over 150 investors reported damage to equipment and facilities.
LG Electronics in Haiphong suffered roof collapses and flooding in its warehouses. While no casualties were reported among LG employees, the company faces financial losses due to damage to its production site and equipment.
Vietnam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has warned that the risks of floods and landslides remain high, especially in the northern provinces of Lang Son, Cao Bang, Yen Bai and Thai Nguyen.
Typhoon Yagi brought rains with some areas receiving between 208mm and 433mm of rain within 24 hours.
A passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream in Cao Bang province, located in northern Vietnam, on Monday morning.
The bus was caught in a landslide, which sent it plunging into a torrent of water. Rescuers were deployed immediately, but landslides in the area blocked their path.
Efforts to reach the bus and rescue the passengers have been slow due to the blocked roads. Authorities are still working to assess the situation and retrieve any survivors.
Also Read: Hottest Summer on Record for the Second Consecutive Year
Typhoon Yagi has caused destruction in rural areas and also disrupted business operations in Vietnam’s industrial hubs in Haiphong and Quang Ninh provinces.
These regions are home to several factories including those of major exporters like VinFast and Apple suppliers Pegatrong and USI.
According to the state-run Lao Dong newspaper, dozens of factories have suffered damage with roofs blown apart and floodwaters seeping into production units, damaging both finished goods and machinery.
Some factories reported that electricity had not been restored as of Monday, September 9 and expected that it would take at least a month to resume full operations.
Initial estimates suggest that around 100 enterprises have been affected by the typhoon with losses running into millions of dollars. The disruption in production and exports could have effects on Vietnam’s export-driven economy.
The Typhoon Yagi caused power outages across northern Vietnam. According to state-run energy provider EVN, more than 5.7 million customers lost power over the weekend.
While electricity was restored to about 75% of those affected, large parts of Quang Ninh and Haiphong provinces remained without power as of Monday.
Northern Vietnam’s agricultural sector has also suffered losses. The typhoon destroyed nearly 116,192 hectares of agricultural land particularly rice fields, which form the backbone of Vietnam’s rural economy.
With the floodwaters destroying farmlands, the damage to crops has been catastrophic. Farmers in the region are now struggling with the loss of their livelihoods.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Haiphong city on Sunday and approved an emergency aid package worth $4.62 million to assist in the recovery efforts in the port city.
Before hitting Vietnam, Typhoon Yagi tore through the Philippines and southern China. In the Philippines, the storm killed at least 20 people, while southern China reported four deaths.
Chinese authorities reported that the Typhoon Yagi caused infrastructure losses across the Hainan island province amounting to $102 million.
In Guangdong province, 57,000 houses were either damaged or collapsed.
Also Read: Earthquakes Can Trigger the Formation of Gold Nuggets in Quartz
