The aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, which struck Southeast Asia over the weekend, has left a trail of destruction and sorrow. The storm, the strongest to hit northern Vietnam in three decades, brought with it torrential rain and winds exceeding 149 kilometers per hour. The impact of Yagi was felt across the region, with Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar all enduring devastating floods and landslides.
In Vietnam, the Red River in Hanoi reached its highest level in 20 years on Wednesday, forcing residents to wade through waist-deep water as they attempted to salvage belongings from their flooded homes. Many resorted to creating makeshift boats to navigate the treacherous waters. “This was the worst flooding I have witnessed,” shared Nguyen Tran Van, a resident of Hanoi who has lived near the Red River for 15 years. “I didn’t think the water would rise as quick as it did. I moved because if the water had risen just a bit higher, it would have been very difficult for us to leave,” he told AFP.
The storm’s fury was particularly evident in the remote mountain village of Lang Nu in Lao Cai province, where a landslide obliterated the village, leaving behind a scene of devastation. At least 34 people were confirmed dead, with another 46 still missing. Villagers laid the deceased on the ground, some in makeshift coffins, others wrapped in cloth, while rescue workers tirelessly searched for more victims.
The official death toll from Typhoon Yagi in Vietnam has climbed to 179, with 145 individuals still unaccounted for. While the water level in Hanoi has peaked and is expected to recede, authorities warn of severe flooding in surrounding provinces in the coming days. Police, soldiers, and volunteers are working tirelessly to evacuate residents from their homes as the floodwaters rise.
The devastating impact of Typhoon Yagi extends beyond Vietnam. In Laos, authorities evacuated 300 people from 17 villages in northern Luang Namtha province. The UN’s World Food Programme expressed deep concern for the safety of communities in northern Laos, highlighting extensive damage to houses, roads, markets, schools, and farmland.
Thailand reported four deaths in the northern provinces of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, with the army deployed to assist approximately 9,000 families affected by the floods.
In Myanmar, days of heavy rainfall around Naypyidaw caused river levels to surge, raising concerns about potential casualties. Images on social media depicted people clinging to trees as the floodwaters rose around them.
While Southeast Asia experiences annual monsoon rains, experts warn that climate change is intensifying these weather patterns, leading to more frequent and destructive floods. Studies have shown that typhoons in the region are forming closer to the coast, intensifying more rapidly, and staying over land for longer periods, all due to climate change. The consequences of these intensified weather patterns are starkly evident in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, highlighting the urgent need to address climate change and mitigate its devastating impacts.
