Typhoon Yagi Hits Vietnam: Rising Death Toll and Severe Flooding

Typhoon Yagi Devastates Vietnam: Death Toll Rises

The death toll in Vietnam from Typhoon Yagi has tragically climbed to 143, with dozens more individuals reported missing, according to government officials on Wednesday. The relentless rainfall continues to trigger landslides in small villages and severe flooding in the capital city of Hanoi. Yagi, characterized as the strongest typhoon to strike Vietnam in decades, made landfall on Saturday, wreaking havoc across the northern regions with wind speeds reaching 90 mph.

Despite the storm’s winds diminishing, the downpours have persisted, inundating one of Southeast Asia’s most densely populated river valleys and heightening concerns over Vietnam’s susceptibility to extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change.

For millennia, communities have endeavored to manage water flow around the Red River, which originates in China and meanders southeast through Hanoi before emptying into the Gulf of Tonkin. While flooding is a recurrent challenge in this fertile region, state media reported that on Tuesday, the Red River was rising at an alarming rate of nearly four inches every hour. In response, factories have been shut down and schools advised families to keep children at home for safety.

The Red River, which traverses a densely populated valley, has seen its water levels rise dramatically, prompting widespread concern among residents. By Wednesday, a devastating landslide had engulfed a hamlet of 158 individuals in the mountainous province of Lao Cai, which borders China. Footage from Vietnam’s state media depicted a flat expanse of muddy soil, devoid of any signs of life. Search and rescue teams have thus far recovered 22 bodies from the tragic scene.

“This has been the most lethal landslide triggered by the typhoon to date,” stated Nhu Thi Tam, a local official from the affected village. She abruptly ended a phone interview as she rushed to evacuate her family and belongings following another urgent landslide warning issued in her neighborhood.