Hanoi: The death count in Vietnam from Typhoon Yagi and subsequent heavy rain that triggered floods and landslides climbed to nearly 200 on Thursday, as over 125 people are still missing in the aftermath of the devastating storm, according to local media reports. Vietnam's VNExpress newspaper reported that 197 people have been killed so far and over 800 were injured while 128 others remained missing.
In the capital Hanoi, flood waters from the Red River receded slightly but many areas were still inundated. People waded through muddy brown water above their knees to make their way along one street in the Tay Ho district and a few people paddled along the road in small boats amid scenes of widespread destruction. The flooding in Hanoi has been reportedly the worst in two decades, and has led to widespread evacuations.
The death toll spiked earlier in the week as a flash flood swept away the entire hamlet of Lang Nu in northern Vietnam's Lao Cai province on Tuesday. Hundreds of rescue personnel worked tirelessly Wednesday to search for survivors, but as of Thursday morning 53 villagers remained missing, while seven more bodies were found, bringing the death toll there to 42.
Scenes of destruction in Vietnam
Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit the Southeast Asian country in decades. It made landfall Saturday with winds of up to 149 kph (92 mph). Despite weakening on Sunday, downpours continued and rivers remain dangerously high. Floods and landslides have caused most of the deaths, many of which have come in the northwestern Lao Cai province, bordering China, where Lang Nu is located.
A 30-year-old bridge over the Red River in the northern province of Phu Tho collapsed on Monday, leaving eight missing, according to a statement from the provincial People's Committee. Reports said 10 cars, trucks and two motorbikes fell into the river. Authorities had subsequently banned or limited traffic on other bridges across the river, including Chuong Duong Bridge, one of the largest in Hanoi.
Heavy rainfall and landslides also killed 19 people in northwestern Lao Cai province bordering China. Video obtained by The Associated Press showed soil sliding down a hill onto houses and a road while people fled for safety. Floods have also inundated 148,600 hectares or almost 7% of rice fields in northern Vietnam and 26,100 hectares of cash crops and damaged nearly 50,000 houses in northern Vietnam, according to the agency.
What is Typhoon Yagi?
Yagi is the most severe storm to land in Hainan since 2014, when Typhoon Rammasun slammed into the island province as a Category Five tropical cyclone. It was registered as the world's second-most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024 so far after Hurricane Beryl. It is named after the Japanese word for goat and the constellation of Capricornus, a mythical creature that is half goat, half fish.
The typhoon had shut down schools, businesses and transport links in Hong Kong, Macau, and Guangdong as well as airports in Vietnam before landfall. Typhoons are becoming stronger, fuelled by warmer oceans, amid climate change, according to scientists. Last month, Typhoon Shanshan, touted as one of the worst storms to hit the region, made landfall in southwestern Japan, leaving seven people dead and widespread damage in several parts of the country.
(with inputs from agencies)
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