Vietnam’s Death Toll Rises as Typhoon’s Aftermath Causes Flash Floods and Landslides

Vietnam is grappling with devastating consequences following Typhoon Yagi, which has claimed nearly 200 lives and left more than 125 people missing, according to state media reports on Thursday. The storm has caused widespread flash floods and landslides, with over 800 people injured.
In Hanoi, the floodwaters from the Red River have receded slightly, but many areas remain submerged. Residents in the city’s Tay Ho district are navigating through muddy waters up to their knees, having abandoned their vehicles in the chaos.
Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful typhoon to strike Vietnam in decades, made landfall with winds reaching up to 149 kph (92 mph) on Saturday. Although the storm weakened on Sunday, heavy rains and high river levels have continued to cause severe flooding.
The current flooding in Hanoi is reported to be the worst in two decades, prompting extensive evacuations. The death toll surged earlier in the week when a flash flood obliterated the village of Lang Nu in northern Vietnam’s Lao Cai province. Rescue operations have been ongoing, with 53 villagers still unaccounted for and seven additional bodies found, raising the death toll in Lang Nu to 42.
The impacts of the typhoon have been especially severe in the northwestern Lao Cai province, near the Chinese border, and in Phu Tho province, where a bridge collapse and a bus swept away by flooding have contributed to the death toll. The typhoon’s aftermath has disrupted communities and infrastructure, highlighting the severe challenges facing Vietnam as it deals with this natural disaster.