Typhoon Destroys Vehicles and Bridge, Leaving Dozens Dead in Vietnam

Hanoi, Vietnam— A typhoon and subsequent flooding have wreaked havoc in Vietnam, resulting in the deaths of at least 59 people. Typhoon Yagi made landfall on Saturday, bringing heavy winds and rain that led to widespread destruction across the country, especially in northern industrial areas. State media reports indicate that nine individuals died as the typhoon struck, while more than 50 fatalities have been attributed to the floods and landslides that followed.

The northern rivers reached perilous water levels, prompting emergency responses. On Monday morning, a passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept away by a landslide in Cao Bang province. Rescue teams rushed to the scene, but their efforts were hampered by more landslides that obstructed access.

In Phu Tho province, rescue operations turned urgent after a steel bridge over the swollen Red River collapsed. Reports reveal that 10 vehicles, including trucks and motorbikes, plunged into the river as a result. Some managed to escape, and three people were rescued and sent to the hospital, but 13 individuals remain unaccounted for.

Survivor Pham Truong Son shared his harrowing experience with VNExpress. While riding his motorcycle over the bridge, he heard a loud sound and suddenly found himself in free fall into the river. Son battled his way through the waters, clinging to a drifting banana tree until rescuers found him.

In Haiphong province, numerous businesses struggled to get back to work due to significant damage to their factories. State media outlet Lao Dong reported that roofs of several industrial units were torn off, while others were flooded, destroying finished merchandise and valuable equipment. Companies reported that they still faced power outages and anticipated it may take a month to return to normal operations.

Haiphong and the neighboring Quang Ninh province endured extended power outages due to toppled electricity poles. These areas are key industrial hubs that serve major exporters, including EV manufacturer VinFast and suppliers for Apple. Initial damage estimates indicate that nearly 100 enterprises incurred losses running into millions of dollars.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Haiphong on Sunday, approving a recovery fund totaling $4.62 million to aid the city’s restoration efforts.

Typhoon Yagi was notably intense, marking the most powerful storm to hit Vietnam in decades, with winds reaching 92 mph. Although its winds diminished the following day, meteorologists cautioned that continuing rain could still lead to further flooding and landslides.

In Sa Pa town, well-known for its scenic rice terraces, a tragic landslide on Sunday resulted in six fatalities, including an infant, in addition to nine injuries. Overall reports from state media indicate a total of 21 deaths and at least 299 injuries from the disaster.

The capital city of Hanoi was shrouded in overcast skies, with intermittent rain falling as cleanup crews worked to clear fallen trees, billboards, and electricity poles. Continuous heavy rains continued in northwestern Vietnam, and forecasts projected that some regions could receive over 15 inches of rainfall.

The storm also inflicted damage on agricultural lands, vital for rice production.

Before making landfall in Vietnam, Typhoon Yagi already left a mark in the Philippines, where at least 20 lives were claimed, and in southern China, where four people died. In Hainan province, Chinese officials reported about $102 million in infrastructure costs, with thousands of houses damaged and roads rendered impassable due to fallen trees. Yagi later made a second landing in Guangdong province, adjacent to Hainan.

Experts like Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, highlighted that storms like Yagi are intensifying due to climate change. Warmer ocean waters increase the energy available, leading to heightened wind speeds and increased rainfall.

This problem isn’t confined to any single locale. Scientists have long warned that nearly all major bodies of water globally are warming, which is contributing to powerful and unpredictable weather events that pose risks to urban populations around the world.

Source: CBS News