Typhoon Yagi Forced Thousands To Flee Vietnam Capital, Hanoi
Typhoon Yagi forced thousands of people from low-lying areas in Vietnam capital, Hanoi, to evacuate. The Red River surged to the maximum high level ever in the past two decades and instigated floods on the streets.
The flooding from the river was at its peak on Wednesday when some residents were forced to navigate in the area using boats. Out of the total 30 administrative districts of Hanoi, 10 have been given a “flood alert”.
(Also read: Southern China Battered By Strongest Typhoon In Decades)
Electricity is cut in various regions of the Vietnam capital. 1.5 million people are surviving without power now.
The consequences of Typhoon Yagi are massive in the northern parts, resulting in the deaths of 179 people. Floods and landslides have wreaked havoc in northern Vietnam, the government confirmed.
One of the residents of Hanoi said, “This is the worst flood I have seen. It was dry yesterday morning. Now the entire street is flooded. We couldn’t sleep last night”.
Another resident explained, “My home is now part of the river”. His neighbourhood lies right over the banks of the Red River.
Although Yagi -the super typhoon- which was categorised as a type 5 hurricane, has been downgraded to a mere tropical depression, it destroyed Vietnam causing landfall on Saturday. It was declared Asia’s most powerful typhoon in years.
Lang Nu, a village in the northern Lao Cai province, was entirely swept away by typhoon Yagi and flash floods on Tuesday. 30 deaths were confirmed after which, hundreds of soldiers were deployed on a search mission and helped those who were stuck in heavy waters.
Stories of survivors of Typhoon Yagi
One of the 63 survivors of the flood in a remote mountain community, Hoang Thi Bay, told the media that she saw the water coming their way. She saved herself by holding onto a pillar, she said.
The survivor stated that she had already seen water coming towards their house at which she ran to her kitchen “and clung tightly to a concrete pole”. She told that her whole house is in ruins now.
In addition, the hydropower plant in the northwest province of Yen Bai worries the government. With the huge inflow of water, it is suspected that the dam may collapse, leading to greater damage to Hanoi’s surroundings.
Deputy Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Hoang Hiep gave the assurance that the hydropower facility is safe as of right now. It is still recommended that the residents of the area take shelter until the water recedes to an “allowable level”, which might take up to two days.
The past four days have been full of destruction in Vietnam’s northern region as the typhoon has created a trail of wrecking. The collapse of a busy bridge that took ten cars and two scooters into the Red River is another of the doings of a deadly typhoon.
The list does not end here. Tearing the roofs of buildings, trees flying off the ground and widely damaged infrastructure of the country and factories in the northern areas are some of the fatalities that the country witnessed.
Previously, typhoon Yagi had made its way to annihilation in southern China and the Philippines with 24 deaths on its shoulders.
Scientists have already warned about the cyclones and typhoons that are resulting from global warming and warm waters. These factors can generate higher wind speeds and greater frequency of rainfalls. However, individual storms and their influence on the climate are yet to be described due to their complicated nature.
Although the tropical depression has weakened, the authorities still ask the residents to stay vigilant as it might create more disruption if it moves westwards.
