Super Typhoon Yagi Slams Southeast Asia

Super Typhoon Yagi, Asia's most powerful storm of the year, hit Hainan, China, causing significant damage before moving towards northern Vietnam. The storm resulted in power outages, extreme weather conditions, and disrupted services but reported no casualties as of yet. Initially formed near the Philippines, Yagi had already caused fatalities in Luzon.

Super Typhoon Yagi, hailed as Asia's most powerful storm this year, barreled toward northern Vietnam on Saturday following its devastation of China's southern island province of Hainan. The storm, which landed in Hainan on Friday, brought maximum sustained winds of 234 kph (145 mph), toppling trees and inundating roads, and leaving over 800,000 homes without power.

Although no injuries or fatalities have been reported thus far, the island lifestyle for over 10 million residents remained in stasis on Saturday, with all public transportation brought to a halt. Originating over the sea near the Philippine archipelago on Sept. 1, Yagi morphed into a tropical storm, wreaking havoc across Luzon, the Philippines' most populous island, resulting in at least 16 deaths and 13 injuries.

The storm's intensity surged dramatically later in the week, making it the most formidable tropical cyclone globally in 2024 following the Category 5 Atlantic hurricane Beryl and the most severe in the Pacific this year. By 0100 GMT on Saturday, Yagi was making its way toward northern Vietnam over the Gulf of Tonkin, with wind speeds slightly decreasing to Category 3 levels at 187 kph (116 mph), according to China's meteorological authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)