Typhoon Yagi Devastates Vietnam: Floods and Landslides Hit Hard

Severe floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi have devastated northern Vietnam, including Hanoi. At least 65 people have died and 39 are missing, with significant damage to industrial and residential areas. Authorities are evacuating residents from the worst-hit regions, as rivers rise to alarming levels.

Severe floods are expected to inundate Vietnam's north, including the capital Hanoi, government officials announced, as Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year, continues its deadly toll. Landslides and floods triggered by the typhoon have killed at least 65 people, with 39 others reported missing in the north, the disaster management agency stated Tuesday in its latest update.

Most victims were killed in landslides and flash floods, according to the agency's report, adding that 752 people have been injured. Other northern areas, like Bac Giang and Thai Nguyen, industrial hubs hosting several export-oriented multinationals, are also grappling with severe flooding, state media said.

The typhoon made landfall on Vietnam's northeastern coast on Saturday, wreaking havoc on industrial and residential regions and bringing heavy rains that caused floods and landslides. It had earlier struck the Philippines and China's southern Hainan Island. Several northern Vietnam rivers have surged to dangerous levels, inundating villages and residential zones, as per the disaster agency and state media reports.

A 30-year-old bridge over the Red River in Phu Tho province collapsed on Monday, leaving eight people missing, the provincial People's Committee confirmed. Authorities have since restricted traffic on other bridges across the river, including Hanoi's major Chuong Duong Bridge, according to state media.

The government warned on its Facebook page Tuesday that water levels on the Red River are rapidly rising. Using public loudspeakers previously used for Communist propaganda, officials alerted residents in Hanoi's Long Bien district to prepare for potential flooding and possible evacuation.

Authorities are currently evacuating residents from flood-prone areas in Bac Giang province, where the typhoon and subsequent floods have caused an estimated damage of 300 billion dong ($12.1 million). Over 4,600 soldiers have been deployed to aid the evacuation and assist flood victims.

Lao Cai province reported the highest casualties, with 19 people killed and 11 missing, primarily due to landslides, the disaster management agency reported. Floods have also submerged 148,600 hectares, almost 7% of northern Vietnam's rice fields, along with 26,100 hectares of cash crops and damaged nearly 50,000 houses.

($1 = 24,665 dong)

(With inputs from agencies.)