Typhoon “Yagi” makes devastating landfall in Vietnam, leaving over 290 people dead

Typhoon “Yagi” made landfall over Cát Bà Island near Haiphong in Quảng Ninh Province, Vietnam, at around 06:00 UTC (13:00 LT) on September 7 with maximum sustained winds of 205 km/h (125 mph) near its center and a minimum central pressure of 942 hPa, making it the strongest recorded tropical cyclone to strike Vietnam.

According to the initial reports, at least 59 people have died, and 299 have been injured since the storm made landfall. Forty-four of the total fatalities were caused by landslides affecting the northern mountainous regions. The storm also left 25 individuals missing, and search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Nearly 3 300 houses were damaged across Vietnam, and over 120 000 ha (300 000 acres) of rice paddy fields were submerged, further worsening the destruction.

In the capital city of Hanoi, three people lost their lives, and many homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Additionally, more than 14 000 trees were uprooted. The port city of Haiphong experienced 0.5 m (1.6 feet) of flooding, submerging significant parts of the city, and one person was killed in the region. Multiple provinces reported power outages, including Quang Ninh and Thai Binh.

Quang Ninh province was heavily affected by the storm and recorded four deaths. At least 30 boats were either severely damaged or sunk. Roughly 50 000 people were evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, and authorities issued a warning to stay indoors.

In Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the disaster management authority confirmed that 30 vessels were destroyed by strong winds and high waves. “The wind was pushing from our back with so much pressure that no boat could stand. Then the first one sank, followed by others,” said Pham Van Thanh, a resident and sailor.

One of the more severe incidents occurred in Cao Bang province, where a passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide.

Rescuers have been deployed, but efforts have been hindered by blocked roads due to landslides. In Phu Tho province, a steel bridge collapsed at around 10:02 local time(LT) on September 9 due to floodwaters, plunging 10 cars and two motorbikes into the swollen Red River. Authorities are still searching for 13 people who remain missing, and three survivors have been pulled from the river.

Vietnam’s weather agency has warned of continued risks of flooding and landslides as the region received between 208 mm and 433 mm (8.2 to 17 inches) of rainfall over the past 24 hours. The National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported, “Floods and landslides are damaging the environment and threatening people’s lives.”

Before reaching Vietnam on Saturday, the typhoon caused widespread destruction in the Philippines and on China’s Hainan island, which is known as a tourist hotspot.

According to AFP, the storm killed at least 24 people and injured dozens in these regions. In response, China evacuated approximately 400 000 people from Hainan on Friday, halting transportation services such as trains, boats, and flights, and closing schools. Local reports indicated significant power outages, affecting around 830 000 households.

Updates

09:04 UTC, September 10

The death toll caused by landslides and floods triggered by Typhoon “Yagi” has risen to 84, while 64 remain missing and 752 have been reported injured, according to a statement by the disaster management agency on Tuesday, September 10.

Several rivers in northern Vietnam have risen to alarming levels, flooding multiple villages and residential areas. A bridge on the Red River in the northern province of Phu collapsed on Monday, September 9, causing eight people to go missing, said the provincial people’s committee.

Traffic has either been banned or limited on other bridges over the Red River due to the threat of rising water levels. Warnings were issued for the residents of the capital’s riverside district of Long Bien by officials using loudspeakers, urging citizens to stay alert for potential flooding and to be ready for evacuations.

Flood-prone areas in Bac Giang province were also evacuated, where the typhoon and floods caused an estimated 300 billion dongs (12.1 million USD) worth of damage. More than 4 600 soldiers have been deployed in the province to support the evacuations.

Lao Cai province has the highest number of casualties reported so far, with 19 deaths and 11 missing, mostly in landslides, according to the disaster management agency.

Floods have also inundated roughly 7% of rice fields in northern Vietnam, or 148 600 ha (367 199 acres), and 26 100 ha (64 495 acres) of cash crops, while damaging nearly 50 000 houses in northern Vietnam.

08:22 UTC, September 11

At least 152 deaths and 140 people have been reported missing in Northern Vietnam as heavy rainfall, landslides, and flooding continue. Around 1.5 million people have been affected by power outages caused by the storm.

Flood and landslide warnings have been issued for 401 communes across 18 northern provinces in the country.
Heavy rainfall has caused several rivers near the Hanoi region to swell, many of which are already near critical levels. Water levels are expected to rise further in the coming days, potentially reaching flood level three soon.

According to the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, water levels in the Red River surged to 10.86 m (35.6 feet) on the morning of September 11, surpassing the level-two warning by 0.36 m (1.2 feet).

By 11:40, local time, rainfall in Hanoi ranged between 7.5 – 27.3 mm (0.3 – 1.1 inches), according to a city report.

The forecast indicates that water levels in the Red River will peak in the afternoon before receding gradually.

A level-one warning indicates that water levels remain within the riverbanks, level-two signals a medium-level rise with moderate flooding, while level-three represents the highest risk, with severe flooding impacting surrounding regions and lives.

More than 59 000 people have been forced to evacuate in Yen Bai Province, according to local authorities, after floodwaters engulfed 18 000 homes. These are the worst floods the country has experienced since 2008, according to a local official.

According to the Bac Tu Liem District People’s Committee, 836 families have been evacuated from the banks of the Red River. Additionally, 214 families, comprising 429 people, were evacuated from the Yeh Phu Ward of Tay Ho District. In Ung Hoa District, authorities assisted in the evacuation of 110 families (400 people) after water levels rose in the Day River.

In Dan Phuong District, 261 people were evacuated. Furthermore, 446 people living in unsafe houses were relocated to communal houses and medical centers. In Ching Duong Ward, 46 families have been urged by the Hong Kiem District authorities to evacuate to higher ground.

The rising water in the Tich River has affected 796 people, flooding the Can Kiem commune. Floodwaters have invaded homes and other infrastructure, forcing people to move to higher ground, although no evacuations have been reported yet.

At approximately 17:00 local time on September 10, waters in the Hong and Duong rivers rose rapidly, completely submerging parts of the surrounding area. Other rivers, such as the Bui River, have also swollen significantly due to the storm, already submerging entire villages.

The Day River, which flows through Hanoi, has also risen significantly, now only 50 cm (19.7 inches) below the surface of National Highway No. 6. The Da River, which flows through Hoa Binh Province, has also seen a significant rise in water levels, prompting authorities to halt water releases from the Hoa Binh Hydropower Station on the afternoon of September 10.

According to authorities, more than 25 000 trees have been uprooted due to the storm, blocking several roads and disrupting transport. Crops of guavas, bananas, and corn have also been submerged by the floodwaters.

08:37 UTC, September 11

Hanoi has been experiencing widespread rains since Wednesday morning (LT), with rainfall going up to 120 mm (4.7 inches) in certain districts.

Around 15 700 people in Soc Son District of Hanoi outskirts are trapped in severe flooding due to rising water on major rivers, VN Express reports.

The Hanoi Department of Transport on Wednesday said hydropower plants discharging water have caused water levels to rise in several rivers. The department has banned vessels from operating on the Day and Ca Lo rivers, as well as the Yen Stream and the Suoi Hai Lake, except for vessels participating in flood prevention efforts.

Heavy rain is expected across Hanoi until Thursday morning (LT). Strong winds and lightning is forecast among other extreme weather patterns.

12:53 UTC, September 12

Yagi death toll in Vietnam has climbed to 197 with 128 still missing as of Thursday, September 12, according to state media reports. The aftermath of the typhoon has also left more than 800 injured.

The flood waters in the Red River have receded a little since September 11, but several areas remain flooded.

Seven bodies were found and 53 villagers remain missing as of Thursday in the Lang Lu area of Lao Cai Province, bringing the death toll to 42 in the region, after flash floods swept through the region on Tuesday, September 10.

Several regions in northern Laos also suffered from the aftermath of Yagi. So far one casualty has been reported, flooding and landslides have caused significant damage to property and left many stranded, especially in the Luan Namtha province.

The Luang Namtha airport had to be closed due to the floods, and 300 people were evacuated from 17 villages in the province.

Agriculture lands have been affected in the provinces of Sayaboury and Oudomaxy, and residents were forced to move to higher ground for safety. 11 villages in the Namor district in Oudomaxy saw power outages due to flooding and landslides. The floods have also affected the Bokeo Province.

In Thailand, 12 casualties have been confirmed so far, six of which were in the Chiang Rai Province along with 3 injured and six in Chiang Mai Province. Yagi caused damage to roughly 27 199 households in the country and affected around 9 000 families.

46 villages across five districts in the Chiang Rai province suffered significant damage, six landslides occurred in the Mae Ai district one of which was the cause of the six casualties and 3 injuries. 1 191 homes and 92 shops have been damaged due to flooding in the Mae Sai District.

Helicopters were used to evacuate people and deliver food and supplies to stranded citizens.

More than 40 provinces are currently under alert for flash floods as the tropical depression is expected to strengthen through September 18, according to a statement by the Office of National Water Resources on September 12. The Thai Meteorological Department has warned of the possibility of more torrential rains in the coming days.

In Myanmar, a total of 10 casualties have been reported due to floods that have affected 53 972 people, according to the Burmese Fire Department. 15 113 households have been affected in the Mandalay region.

The Tachileik town also suffered extensive flooding that affected 4 000 residents in the region. Other impacted states include Magway, Ayeyarwady, Chin, Kayin, and Rakhine.

12:16 UTC, September 15

As of September 15, 2024, the total death toll from Typhoon “Yagi” has risen to 822 across all affected countries.

This includes 459 fatalities in Myanmar, 296 in Vietnam, 42 in Thailand, 20 in the Philippines, and 4 in China. The storm caused widespread damage, with Myanmar, Vietnam, and Thailand experiencing the highest fatalities and significant infrastructural destruction.

Over 514 people are still missing, and the total estimated damage exceeds $14 billion USD.

References:

¹ At least 59 dead in Vietnam as Typhoon Yagi triggers landslides, floods – Al Jazeera – September 9, 2024

² Typhoon Yagi kills 59, injures hundreds in Vietnam – BBC – September 8, 2024

³ Typhoon “Yagi” makes landfall near Haiphong as strongest tropical cyclone ever to strike Vietnam – The Watchers – September 7, 2024

⁴ Extremely dangerous Typhoon “Yagi” makes a direct hit on Haikou, China – The Watchers – September 6, 2024

⁵ Tropical Storm “Yagi” (Enteng) strikes Philippines, floods and landslides claim 11 lives – The Watchers – September 2, 2024

⁶ Yagi intensifies into a super typhoon as it heads toward south China and Vietnam – The Watchers – September 5, 2024

⁷ Floods inundate north Vietnam as Typhoon Yagi death toll climbs – Reuters – September 10, 2024

⁸ More than 127 dead in Vietnam super typhoon – BBC – September 10, 2024

⁹ Dangerous water levels recorded at major rivers near Hanoi – Vietnam Net – September 11, 2024

¹⁰ Hanoi braces for Red River to swell to highest level – VN Express – September 11, 2024

¹² Red River floods Vietnam’s Hanoi as Typhoon Yagi kills more than 150 – Reuters – September 11, 2024

¹³ Death toll climbs to 199 in Vietnam as typhoon’s aftermath brings flash floods and landslides – AP – September 12, 2024

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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