Typhoon Yagi kills nine, urgent recovery work underway

A car crushed by a fallen tree in front of the HH building, Linh Dam urban area, Hanoi (photo: VNA)

Hanoi – Typhoon Yagi left nine people dead and 187 injured in several northern provinces, according to preliminary statistics released in the morning on September 8.

According to the Vietnam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 25 small boats sank while moored in Quang Ninh. Quang Ninh, Thai Binh and Hai Duong provinces, the city of Hai Phong and the capital Hanoi experienced widespread power outages and communication disruptions.

Due to the prolonged duration and intensity of the typhoon’s strong winds and gusts, 3,279 houses were damaged; 401 power poles were blown down. Many shops, offices and schools were deprived of roofs or damaged. Numerous billboards and telecommunication poles were blown down; and urban trees were uprooted or broken along major roads in Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Hanoi and other areas.

A landslide buried a house, killing four people and injuring one in Tan Minh village, Da Bac district, Hoa Binh province. (Photo: VNA)

Agricultural production was also severely affected, with 121,500 hectares of rice and other crops flooded or destroyed, and more than 1,000 aquaculture cages damaged or washed away, mostly in Quang Ninh.

Although the typhoon has weakened to a tropical depression and is dissipating over the northwestern region, its remnants are expected to bring heavy rainfall to the northern provinces until the end of September 9, especially in the northwestern provinces, with average rainfall ranging from 100 to 200 mm and local amounts reaching up to 350 mm. As such, in addition to recovery efforts, localities must remain vigilant for flash floods and landslides.

Local authorities and economic sectors are mobilizing forces to limit damage as quickly as possible, estimate losses and provide support to residents in stabilising their daily lives.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade has instructed power companies to assess the damage and immediately restore the operation of power grids, giving priority to the supply of electricity to key enterprises and industrial zones.

The Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Information and Communications ordered telecommunications companies to quickly restore the operation of communication networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment have issued guidelines for managing the operation of water reservoirs to prevent flooding.

More than 10,800 hectares of rice flattened in Ha Nam Province (Photo: VNA)

Earlier, the Prime Minister issued three urgent directives to mobilize all ministries, sectors and localities to respond to the storm. A field command post was set up in Hai Phong, headed by Vice Premier Tran Hong Ha. Several ministers and vice ministers were sent to coastal provinces and cities to supervise and coordinate storm prevention activities. The Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security mobilized forces to help the public prepare for and respond to the storm.

Nearly 500,000 troops and more than 10,100 vehicles of various types have been deployed. The Ministry of Public Security has prepared forces, equipment and materials to support as needed and has coordinated with local authorities to manage disaster prevention, search and rescue and recovery efforts. The Ministry of Health has ordered all units to closely monitor the development of the storm and maintain 24-hour emergency response services.