HANOI, Vietnam. Flooding and landslides triggered by Typhoon Yagi have wreaked havoc across Vietnam, leading to the collapse of a bridge and the sweeping away of a bus, as the death toll from the storm and its aftermath rose to at least 59, state media reported Monday.
The typhoon, which made landfall on Saturday, initially caused nine deaths before weakening into a tropical depression. However, floods and landslides in the aftermath have claimed at least 50 more lives, according to state media outlet VN Express. Rivers in northern Vietnam have reached dangerously high levels, with several provinces still battling the effects of the storm.
One of the most tragic incidents occurred in Cao Bang province, where a passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide. Rescue teams were immediately deployed, but their progress was hindered by additional landslides blocking the roads.
Meanwhile, in Phu Tho province, a steel bridge spanning the Red River collapsed on Monday morning. The collapse sent 10 cars, trucks, and two motorbikes into the swollen river. Authorities confirmed that three individuals had been rescued and taken to the hospital, but 13 others remain missing.
“I felt like I was drowned to the bottom of the river,” Pham Truong Son, a 50-year-old survivor of the bridge collapse, told VNExpress. He recounted hearing a loud noise while driving across the bridge on his motorcycle, followed by the sensation of falling into the river. Son managed to survive by grabbing onto a floating banana tree before being rescued.
The storm has also heavily impacted Vietnam’s northern industrial hubs, particularly in Haiphong province, where dozens of businesses have been unable to resume production. State media reported that factories had sustained extensive damage, with roofs torn off, equipment destroyed, and goods lost to flooding.
Power outages continue to plague Haiphong and neighboring Quang Ninh provinces due to toppled electricity poles. Both regions are crucial to Vietnam’s export economy, housing factories for major companies such as electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast and Apple suppliers Pegatron and USI. Initial estimates suggest nearly 100 enterprises suffered millions of dollars in damages.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited the port city of Haiphong on Sunday, announcing a relief package of $4.62 million to assist recovery efforts in the affected areas.
Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Vietnam in decades, made landfall with winds reaching 149 kph (92 mph). Although it weakened on Sunday, Vietnam’s meteorological agency has warned that continuing heavy rains pose a serious risk of further floods and landslides.
In Sa Pa, a popular tourist destination, a landslide killed six people, including an infant, and injured nine others. Across the country, at least 299 people have been reported injured in the aftermath of the typhoon.
The capital, Hanoi, saw overcast skies and intermittent rain as workers cleared fallen trees and electricity poles. However, northwestern Vietnam continues to endure heavy rainfall, with forecasts predicting some areas could receive over 40 centimeters (15 inches) of rain.
Typhoon Yagi’s devastation is not limited to Vietnam. Before making landfall, the storm claimed at least 20 lives in the Philippines and four in southern China. In China’s Hainan province, infrastructure losses are estimated at $102 million, with 57,000 homes destroyed and widespread power and water outages.
Experts have linked the increasing intensity of storms like Typhoon Yagi to climate change. “Warmer ocean waters provide more energy to fuel storms, leading to stronger winds and heavier rainfall,” said Benjamin Horton, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore.
The full extent of the damage in Vietnam is still being assessed, but recovery efforts are expected to take weeks, if not longer, as the country deals with the aftermath of one of the most destructive storms in its recent history.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
