Typhoon Yagi Hits Vietnam, Leading to Airport Closures

Typhoon Yagi made landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday afternoon, leading to the closure of airports and the evacuation of residents in vulnerable areas. Vietnamese meteorological authorities characterized Yagi as “one of the most powerful typhoons in the region over the past decade.” Before impacting Vietnam, the storm wreaked havoc in the Chinese province of Hainan, resulting in three fatalities and nearly a hundred injuries.

Upon hitting Vietnam’s coastal provinces of Quang Ninh and Haiphong, Yagi brought wind speeds reaching up to 149 kilometers per hour (92 miles per hour), as reported by state media. Tragically, strong winds in Hanoi led to a tree falling and killing a woman in the capital.

Quang Ninh, home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, saw hundreds of cruise cancellations due to the impending storm. Meanwhile, Haiphong serves as an industrial hub featuring major factories, including electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast and Apple supplier Pegatron.

Yagi also caused widespread power outages in significant portions of Quang Ninh and Thai Binh provinces, compounding the challenges faced by residents. In preparation, the government issued multiple alerts, evacuating individuals at high risk of floods or landslides. Four airports, including those in Hanoi and Haiphong, were shut down as a precautionary measure.

To minimize risks, authorities in Hanoi pruned trees to prevent them from toppling in strong winds. However, wind and rainfall still knocked down a number of trees and billboards across northern cities, while numerous boats moored along the coast were swept out to sea.

Before reaching Vietnam, Typhoon Yagi made its first landfall in Wenchang, Hainan province, on Friday, packing winds up to 245 kph (152 mph) at its center. Reports indicate that the typhoon resulted in three deaths, injured at least 95 individuals, and impacted more than 1.2 million people in the region as of Saturday noon.

In advance of Yagi’s arrival, approximately 420,000 residents in Hainan were relocated, while an additional 500,000 people in Guangdong province were evacuated before the storm made its second landfall in Xuwen County on Friday night.

The Haikou meteorological observatory later downgraded its typhoon signal from red to orange as Yagi moved further away from the region.

Prior to departing Hong Kong, Yagi forced over 270 individuals to seek temporary refuge in government shelters on Friday. The typhoon also prompted the cancellation of more than 100 flights and caused heavy rainfall and strong winds that resulted in dozens of fallen trees. Trading on the stock market, banking services, and schooling were all suspended during this period.

Before causing destruction in Vietnam, Yagi was classified as a storm while exiting the northwestern Philippines, where it left behind significant devastation. Reports indicated at least 20 fatalities and 26 people missing due to landslides and widespread flooding, impacting more than 2.3 million residents in the northern and central provinces.

In the Philippines, more than 82,200 individuals were displaced from their homes, while classes, work, inter-island ferry services, and domestic flights faced disruptions for several days, including in densely populated metropolitan Manila.

Experts warn that the warming waters of the oceans, a consequence of climate change, are fueling storms, leading to increased frequency and intensity of typhoons in areas like Southeast Asia. A U.N. climate change report has raised concerns about the growing occurrence of severe storms in the region.

Previously, Typhoon Damrey struck Vietnam’s south-central coast in 2017, resulting in at least 15 deaths and leaving four others missing. In the hardest-hit province of Khanh Hoa, 14 individuals were killed either by collapsing structures or washed away by flooding. The storm destroyed 302 homes, damaged more than 25,000 roofs, and sank 112 fishing and transport vessels, causing significant damage to farmland and crops in the area.