Super Typhoon Yagi Hits Vietnam, Leaves Trail of Destruction Across Asia

Super Typhoon Yagi, Asia’s most powerful storm this year, made landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday, causing widespread devastation and claiming at least four lives. The storm, which had earlier ravaged China’s Hainan Island and the Philippines, hit the island districts of northern Vietnam around 1 p.m. local time (0600 GMT), bringing winds of up to 160 kph (99 mph). This marked a significant decrease from its peak wind speeds of 234 kph (145 mph) when it struck Hainan just a day before.

According to Vietnam’s government, as of 5 p.m., four people had died and 78 were injured due to the typhoon. Furthermore, at least a dozen people were reported missing at sea. Prior to hitting Vietnam, Super Typhoon Yagi had already claimed the lives of at least two individuals in Hainan and 16 in the Philippines, the first country in the storm’s destructive path after forming east of the archipelago earlier in the week.

Haiphong, Vietnam’s coastal city and an industrial hub with a population of 2 million, was among the hardest-hit areas. The city hosts factories from both foreign multinationals and the local carmaker VinFast. As the typhoon approached, Haiphong experienced winds reaching speeds of up to 90 kph (56 mph), causing widespread power outages that also affected at least three other northern provinces. The city’s residents witnessed strong winds smashing windows and coastal waves as high as three meters, according to on-the-ground reports.

Local media footage showed metal roofing sheets being blown away, thousands of fallen trees, and significant damage to many houses across northern Vietnam. In Haiphong, authorities and residents faced significant challenges as they navigated the immediate aftermath of the storm. Nguyen Manh Quan, a 40-year-old resident of Hanoi, described the intensity of the winds: “The wind is strong enough to blow a person over,” while another resident, Dang Van Phuong, stated, “I’ve never seen a storm like this; you can’t drive in these winds.”

Earlier, Super Typhoon Yagi had left a severe impact on Hainan, an island with a population exceeding 10 million. The storm uprooted trees, flooded roads, and caused power outages for more than 800,000 homes. The island, known for its tourism and tropical climate, faced one of its most severe natural disasters in recent years.

In preparation for the typhoon, Vietnam undertook extensive evacuation efforts, relocating over 50,000 people from coastal towns and deploying approximately 450,000 military personnel. The government also took proactive measures by suspending operations at four major airports for several hours, including Hanoi’s Noi Bai, the busiest airport in the northern region, resulting in the cancellation of more than 300 flights.

Additionally, high schools were closed in 12 northern provinces, including the capital, Hanoi, which has a population of 8.5 million. Authorities in the capital city also suspended public transportation services, including buses and its two elevated metro lines, on Saturday afternoon due to the hazardous weather conditions. The meteorological agency warned of significant flooding risks in the city center, urging residents to take precautionary measures.

Scientists have linked the increasing strength of typhoons like Yagi to climate change, citing warmer ocean temperatures as a critical factor in fueling these powerful storms. The impact of Super Typhoon Yagi serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to address climate change and enhance resilience in vulnerable regions.

Last week, Typhoon Shanshan, another powerful storm, struck southwestern Japan, marking the strongest storm to hit the country in decades. As typhoons grow stronger and more frequent, the threat to coastal communities across Asia continues to rise.

The name “Yagi” is derived from the Japanese word for “goat” and the constellation Capricornus, underscoring the cultural connections often associated with these formidable natural events. As Vietnam and other affected countries begin recovery efforts, the human and economic toll of Super Typhoon Yagi will continue to unfold in the coming days.