Tragic Aftermath of Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam and Northern Thailand Flooding

Tragic Aftermath of Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam

The aftermath of Typhoon Yagi has left a devastating mark on Vietnam, with the death toll rising to 233 as of Friday. Rescue teams are tirelessly working to recover bodies from areas severely impacted by landslides and flash floods, as reported by local authorities.

On Thursday, Vietnam’s Prime Minister, Pham Minh Chinh, visited the affected regions, emphasizing the urgency of rescue operations and urging workers to prioritize the search for those still missing. In Lang Nu, a village in Lao Cai province, around 48 bodies have been found, while 39 individuals are still unaccounted for following a catastrophic flash flood that buried the village in mud and debris on Tuesday.

As the floodwaters from the swollen Red River in the capital, Hanoi, begin to recede, many neighborhoods remain submerged, and experts warn that it may take days for conditions to improve. Rescue operations are being supported by approximately 500 personnel and trained sniffer dogs, while families of the victims anxiously await news of their loved ones, surrounded by a stack of coffins prepared for the deceased.

Currently, 103 individuals are still reported as missing across Vietnam, and the disaster has left more than 800 people injured. “It’s a disaster. It’s a fate we must accept,” lamented Tran Thi Ngan, who mourned the loss of three family members, including a young child, beside a makeshift altar erected in their memory.

The rescue efforts are being hampered by severely damaged roads due to landslides, which have made it difficult for heavy equipment to reach the affected areas. Lang Nu has experienced one of the most significant landslides in Lao Cai province, which has recorded the highest number of casualties, totaling 98 fatalities. In the neighboring province of Cao Bang, 21 bodies have been recovered since a landslide engulfed a bus, a car, and several motorcycles, with rescuers still searching for 10 missing individuals.

A man was seen navigating a boat through the floodwaters in An Lac village, Hanoi, illustrating the ongoing challenges faced by residents in the wake of Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall last Saturday with winds reaching up to 149 km/h. Although the storm weakened by Sunday, heavy rainfall persisted, keeping rivers at dangerously high levels.

The United Nations Children’s Agency, UNICEF, has reported extensive damage from the storm, affecting around 550 health facilities, 800 schools, and over 100,000 homes. This catastrophe has left more than 3 million people without access to safe drinking water. UNICEF is collaborating with the government and other partners to provide emergency aid, including bottled water, purification tablets, filtration systems, and other essential resources to the hardest-hit areas.

Six Killed in Northern Thailand

In a related development, rescuers in northern Thailand are engaged in evacuating individuals trapped by flooding, with dramatic footage showing people being assisted across treacherous torrents. The aftermath of Storm Yagi has caused overflowing rivers and landslides, leading to widespread disruption in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai provinces.

In Chiang Mai’s Mae Ai district, six fatalities have been reported due to a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall. Additionally, another landslide in Mae Fah Luang district has resulted in one death, two severe injuries, and one person still missing. Local authorities in the Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai have issued warnings to residents in four subdistricts, advising them to relocate their belongings to higher ground as floodwaters continue to rise.

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