Super Typhoon Yagi: Asia's Most Powerful Storm of the Year Strikes Vietnam

Super Typhoon Yagi, Asia's most powerful storm in 2024, impacted northern Vietnam after ravaging China's Hainan and the Philippines. It caused fatalities, injuries, power outages, and damage to infrastructures, leading to mass evacuations and transport suspensions. Climate change is contributing to the increasing intensity of such storms.

Super Typhoon Yagi, recognized as Asia's most formidable storm of the year, made landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday, the country's meteorological agency reported. It had previously wrought havoc on the Chinese island of Hainan, causing two deaths and numerous injuries.

This typhoon, ranking as the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024, had already claimed at least 16 lives in the Philippines. Formed east of the Philippines earlier in the week, Yagi generated winds up to 160 kph upon hitting northern Vietnam's island districts at approximately 1300 local time (0600 GMT) on Saturday. The storm had weakened from its peak of 234 kph in Hainan the previous day.

Among the hardest-hit areas was Haiphong, Vietnam's coastal industrial hub, with 2 million residents. The city experienced power outages and witnessed widespread damage as fierce winds broke windows and toppled trees. Authorities ordered evacuations of nearly 50,000 people and deployed 450,000 military personnel. Additionally, operations at several northern airports, including Hanoi's Noi Bai International, were suspended, leading to over 300 flight cancellations. High schools in 12 provinces were also closed as a precaution.

(With inputs from agencies.)