Super Typhoon 'Yagi' Hits Vietnam... 71 Dead or Missing

The worst typhoon in 30 years, 'Yagi,' struck Vietnam, causing bridges to collapse and buses to be swept away by raging currents, resulting in the death and disappearance of 71 people.

The Vietnamese government announced on the 9th (local time) that Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in the northern region, caused 49 deaths and 22 missing persons.

Typhoon Yagi struck northern Vietnam, causing the Red River Phong Chau Bridge in Phu Tho Province to collapse.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

On that day, in Phu Tho Province in the north, the Phong Chau railway bridge spanning the Red River, the largest river in northern Vietnam, collapsed, causing 10 vehicles including trucks and 2 motorcycles to fall into the river. More than 10 passengers are missing.

In the mountainous area of Cao Bang Province in the north, a bus carrying 20 passengers was swept away by a torrent caused by a landslide. According to the Associated Press, four bodies were found on the bus and one survivor was rescued. Fifteen people remain missing.

The previous day, a landslide occurred in Sapa, a famous tourist destination in Lao Cai Province in the north, killing six people. In the mountainous area of Hoa Binh Province in the north, a family of four died due to a landslide. Additionally, five people in Quang Ninh Province and four people in Hanoi City were killed by falling trees caused by landslides or strong winds. At least 299 others were injured.

The industrial sector also suffered significant damage. In Hai Phong City, the second largest city in northern Vietnam and a major export port, factory roofs were blown off and flooded due to the typhoon. At the LG Electronics factory located in the LG complex in Hai Phong, walls collapsed due to strong winds. According to foreign media reports, there were no casualties, but warehouses for refrigerators and washing machines were flooded.

Yagi struck major areas of northern Vietnam with strong winds reaching up to 166 km/h and heavy rainfall exceeding 300 mm. Hoa Binh Province and Son La Province experienced an extraordinary rainfall amount of 430 to 440 mm. A representative from the Vietnam Meteorological Agency stated, "Among typhoons that have made landfall in Vietnam over the past 30 years, Yagi was the most powerful."