Death toll from Typhoon 'Yagi' in Vietnam surpasses 150

Vietnam's state media reported that at least 150 people have died and 140 others are missing due to heavy rainfall, severe flooding, and landslides caused by Typhoon 'Yagi'. 'Yagi' is the most severe typhoon to hit Vietnam in recent decades, with wind speeds reaching about 150 kilometers per hour on Saturday. Despite a decrease in wind speed in recent days, rainfall continues. Vietnam's state radio and television reported on Tuesday, September 10, that the main cause of death among the victims was flooding and landslides. The water levels of many rivers in Vietnam, including the Red River that flows through the capital Hanoi, have risen significantly, forcing residents in surrounding areas to flee or evacuate. Local officials in Hanoi told state media that the intensity of the flooding in Vietnam's capital, which has a population of about 8.5 million and is the second most populous city in the country, has not been seen since 2008. Typhoon 'Yagi' has claimed at least 35 lives in the province of Lao Cai, in northeastern Vietnam near the border with China. The Associated Press reported a video of widespread landslides in this area, with mud flowing into villages and roads, prompting people to flee to safety. According to Vietnam's state media, on Monday a bridge over the Red River in this province collapsed due to severe flooding. Local officials said three people were rescued from this incident, but 13 others are still missing. Local media reported that in the mountainous province of Yen Bai, residents of several villages have been evacuated due to the severity of the flooding. At least 32 people have died in this area, seven are missing, and more than 10,000 homes in the center of this province have been submerged. The charity organization 'Blue Dragon Children's Foundation' stated that hundreds of families have become homeless in the remote mountainous provinces of Dien Bien and Ha Giang. The statement added that schools near the flood path have been closed and landslides have blocked many roads in Ha Giang province. The director of this charity said that, as is often the case in natural disasters, poorer and more vulnerable communities have been disproportionately affected by the recent typhoon in Vietnam. One of the hardest-hit areas is Cao Bang province, where at least 19 people have died and 36 others are missing due to landslides in the highlands. On Monday, a bus carrying about 20 passengers fell into a river due to the collapse of a bridge in this province and drowned in the floodwaters. Industrial centers and factories in northern provinces such as Hai Phong have also been damaged. Benjamin Horton, director of the climate institute 'Earthwatch' in Singapore, stated, 'Due to climate change and primarily the warming of ocean waters, which creates more force for storms, typhoons like Yagi have become more destructive and deadly compared to the past due to wind speed and rainfall.'