Yagi made landfall on Vietnam’s northeastern coast on Saturday after passing through the Philippines and southern China. It was described as Asia’s most powerful storm of the year. Although it weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday, heavy rain continued to create dangerous conditions across mountainous and coastal areas.
In the northwestern Hoang Lien Son mountains, a landslide killed six people, including a newborn and a one-year-old child. A family of four died when a rain-soaked hillside collapsed onto their home in Hoa Binh province. In Cao Bang province, a landslide swept a bus carrying 20 people into a swollen stream on Monday morning. Further landslides obstructed the route rescuers needed to reach the scene.
A steel bridge over the Red River collapsed in Phu Tho province. Reports indicated that 10 cars and trucks and two motorbikes fell into the water. Three people were rescued and taken to hospital, while 13 others were listed as missing. Associated Press footage showed recovery work continuing as rain from the former typhoon fell over the area.
Vietnam’s weather agency warned that further floods and landslides were possible. It measured between 208 and 433 millimetres of rain in several northern areas over 24 hours. Authorities said the storm disrupted electricity and telecommunications, particularly in Quang Ninh province and the port city of Hai Phong. Some parts of Hai Phong remained under about half a metre of water after Yagi weakened, and power was unavailable.
The disaster-management authority reported that strong winds and waves sank 30 vessels at Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nearly 3,300 homes were damaged, and more than 120,000 hectares of crops were affected across northern Vietnam. The figures illustrated that the storm’s impact extended beyond the immediate death toll to transport, agriculture and essential services.
Before reaching Vietnam, Yagi had killed at least 24 people in the Philippines and China and injured dozens more. The full Vietnamese toll remained subject to change while authorities tried to reach isolated locations and account for those missing. Continuing rainfall meant that the danger persisted even after the cyclone itself had lost much of its wind strength, leaving unstable slopes, high rivers and damaged infrastructure as the main threats facing residents and rescue workers.
