HANOI, Vietnam - Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Vietnam in three decades, has left a trail of destruction across the country's northern regions, claiming at least 127 lives and leaving 54 people missing.
The super typhoon, which made landfall on Saturday, continues to wreak havoc with heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding, according to a report by the BBC.
The storm's impact has been catastrophic, with 1.5 million people left without power and thousands stranded on rooftops in some northern provinces. Authorities have issued flood and landslide warnings for 401 communes across 18 northern provinces, highlighting the widespread nature of the disaster.
Typhoon Yagi brought winds of nearly 150km/h (92 mph) to northern Vietnam, causing extensive damage to infrastructure. Bridges have collapsed, roofs have been torn off buildings, and factories have sustained significant damage.
The severity of the storm was evident in the destruction of the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Tho province, which gave way and plunged several vehicles into the water below.
One-storey homes in parts of Thai Nguyen and Yen Bai provinces were almost completely submerged, forcing residents to seek refuge on their roofs. The flooding and landslides have not only caused fatalities but have also injured at least 752 people, according to officials at the Ministry of Agriculture.
The storm's impact extends beyond Vietnam, with 24 people reported dead across southern China and the Philippines before it made landfall in Vietnam.
Although Typhoon Yagi has now weakened into a tropical depression, authorities warn that it will continue to create disruption as it moves westwards. The persistent heavy rainfall poses a significant risk of further flooding and landslides in the affected regions.
Phan Thi Tuyet, a 50-year-old resident living close to the river, described the unprecedented nature of the flooding:
I have lost everything, all gone. I had to come to higher ground to save our lives. We could not bring any of the furniture with us. Everything is under water now.
Her account underscores the severe impact on local communities and the urgent need for relief efforts.
Meteorologists have pointed out that as global temperatures rise, typhoons have the potential to bring higher wind speeds and more intense rainfall. While the influence of climate change on individual storms is complex, the increasing severity of such weather events has raised concerns about future impacts on vulnerable coastal regions.
The devastation caused by Typhoon Yagi serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of more powerful storms in the future. As Vietnam begins to assess the full extent of the damage and initiates recovery efforts, the international community watches closely, recognizing the need for global cooperation in addressing the challenges posed by extreme weather events.
Typhoon Yagi has proven to be Vietnam's most destructive storm in 30 years, causing widespread devastation across the northern provinces. With at least 127 deaths, 54 people missing, and 1.5 million without power, the impact on local communities has been severe. As the country faces ongoing threats from flooding and landslides, the focus now shifts to recovery efforts and long-term strategies for mitigating the impact of future storms.
