Typhoon Yagi devastates northern Vietnam, causing widespread damage and loss of life
Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year, wreaked havoc across northern Vietnam, leaving at least 35 dead and 24 missing, according to preliminary estimates released by the country’s disaster management agency on Monday. The storm has been linked to numerous landslides and flooding incidents, exacerbating the impact on the region.
Making landfall on Saturday on Vietnam’s northeastern coast, Yagi quickly disrupted large manufacturing operations crucial to both domestic and international companies. By Sunday, the storm had been downgraded to a tropical depression, but its effects were already profound.
The typhoon caused extensive damage, cutting power to millions of households and businesses, flooding major highways, and disrupting telecommunications. One medium-sized bridge was reported to have collapsed, and thousands of trees were uprooted. Economic activity was brought to a standstill in key industrial hubs, particularly in Haiphong, a city of two million known for its large industrial zones.
In Haiphong, where factories and industrial parks were hit hard, Bruno Jaspaert, head of DEEP C industrial zones, reported severe damage. “Everyone is scrambling to make sites safe and stocks dry,” Jaspaert said. The storm’s impact was so severe that a factory operated by South Korea’s LG Electronics collapsed, although the company has yet to comment on the situation.
The South Korean business community in Vietnam reported significant damage to factories, with widespread roof damage and prolonged power outages affecting operations. The chairman of the South Korean business association in Vietnam, Hong Sun, described the situation as having caused “lots of damages” to Korean factories in coastal areas.
In the province of Phu Tho, a key bridge collapsed on Monday, though there are no immediate reports of casualties. Authorities are still assessing the damage and the impact on the local population.
The weather agency has warned of continuing risks, including further floods and landslides, as rainfall in the northern region has reached between 208 and 433 millimeters (8.2 to 17.1 inches) in the past 24 hours.
State-run power provider EVN reported that over 5.7 million customers experienced power outages during the weekend. As of Monday, electricity had been restored to nearly 75% of those affected, but many areas remain without power as repairs continue.
The full extent of Typhoon Yagi’s damage is still being assessed, but the immediate impact on infrastructure and industrial operations is severe, with recovery efforts expected to be extensive.
