Hanoi devastated by floods as Typhoon Yagi death toll climbs to 143

The death toll in Vietnam due to the powerful Typhoon Yagi has surged to 143, with dozens still missing, according to official reports on Wednesday. Torrential rains continue to batter the region, triggering landslides in rural villages and causing widespread flooding in the capital, Hanoi.

Typhoon Yagi, the most severe storm to strike Vietnam in decades, made landfall on Saturday, unleashing winds of 90 mph across the northern part of the country. While the storm has weakened, the persistent downpour has overwhelmed the densely populated river valleys, heightening concerns over Vietnam’s increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events linked to climate change.

Water levels in rivers in the North are rising. Hanoi bracing for flood. Some localities of Chuong My district and some wards of Hoan Kiem district outside the dike of the Red River have already inundated. Tuyen Quang city is flooded. #flooding #TyphoonYagi #Hanoi pic.twitter.com/5MulowaziW

— Vietnam Defense (@vietnamese_news) September 11, 2024

For centuries, the people of Vietnam have struggled to control the waters of the Red River, which flows from China through Hanoi into the Gulf of Tonkin. Although floods are not uncommon in this fertile region, the Red River’s levels have been rising at an alarming rate. On Tuesday, the water was reported to be rising by nearly four inches every hour. As a result, factories were closed, and schools advised parents to keep their children at home.

In the mountainous Lao Cai province, near the Chinese border, a landslide on Wednesday buried a hamlet of 158 residents. Vietnam’s state media captured the grim aftermath, showing a desolate expanse of mud. Search teams have since recovered 22 bodies. “This is the deadliest landslide caused by the typhoon so far,” stated Nhu Thi Tam, a local official. She abruptly ended the interview to evacuate her family after another landslide alert was issued.

Meanwhile, closer to Hanoi, authorities diverted traffic from key bridges after one collapsed on Monday, leaving eight people missing. Waist-deep, silty floodwaters engulfed several Hanoi neighborhoods, where skiffs navigated streets that would normally be filled with motorbikes.

Vietnam’s emergency management agency confirmed that most fatalities were caused by landslides and flash floods. In addition to the deaths and missing persons, 764 individuals have been injured. Lao Cai province remains the hardest hit, with 45 deaths reported. Thousands of soldiers are assisting with rescue efforts and ongoing evacuations.