HANOI/THAI NGUYEN. The death toll from Typhoon Yagi and the subsequent landslides and flash floods in Vietnam has risen to 226, according to the government’s disaster agency. The devastating storm, which made landfall on the country’s northeastern coast on Saturday, has had a profound impact, with over 100 people still reported missing and around 800 injured.
Flooding in the capital city of Hanoi has been severe, though the weather agency reported later in the day that the flood pressure had eased. Despite this, the northern regions of Vietnam, including Hanoi, continue to experience challenges from flash floods and landslides.
Hanoi’s residents faced significant challenges as the swollen Red River reached a 20-year high, prompting the evacuation of thousands from vulnerable areas. “There’s a lot of heartbreak in the city and there was a lot of concern going into the evening,” said Skye Maconachie, co-CEO of the Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation. “Many people who barely had anything have lost everything.”
The river’s level in Hanoi has now peaked and started to recede, according to the government’s weather forecast agency. However, northern areas north of the capital remain severely affected by ongoing landslides and floods.
In Thai Nguyen province, which houses Samsung Electronics’ largest smartphone manufacturing plant in Vietnam, flood waters have receded in some areas. Residents are now focused on recovery, including repairing submerged motorbikes and other personal property. “I only have this one motorbike to go to work with, but it was flooded so I have to bring it here to have it fixed,” said a local resident. “I can only go to work once it’s fixed.”
Motorbike repair shop owner Nguyen Van Truong reported being overwhelmed by the demand, stating, “We are a bit overwhelmed, very overwhelmed actually. I’m tired from the hard work but people need transport means to smoothly get everything back to normal.”
In Lao Cai province, rescue efforts are ongoing for 55 individuals missing due to a flash flood that struck Nu Village on Tuesday. The flood has claimed 46 lives and injured 17 others. More than 300 soldiers and local officials are involved in the search and rescue operations.
The typhoon has also wreaked havoc on agriculture, inundating over 200,000 hectares of rice and cash crop fields across northern Vietnam. In addition to agricultural losses, the storm has disrupted power supplies and damaged factory roofs in Haiphong and Quang Ninh provinces, leading to production halts.
International aid has started to arrive, with countries including Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. offering assistance to help Vietnam recover from this catastrophic event.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
