Typhoon Yagi, this year's most powerful storm in Asia, has devastated much of northern Vietnam, killing at least 35 and leaving 24 more missing from flooding and landslides. The impact's severity is highlighted by the disaster management agency of the nation's preliminary estimates.
The northeastern coast of Vietnam, which is home to significant manufacturing facilities for both local and foreign businesses, was hit by the storm on Saturday. The meteorological agency reduced the storm to a tropical depression late Sunday.
Numerous power outages impacting millions of homes and businesses were caused by the typhoon. Along with severely flooding highways, it also interfered with telecommunications and destroyed hundreds of trees and a medium-sized bridge, among other structures.
In Haiphong, a coastal city with a population of two million, industrial operations were heavily impacted. Many factories experienced power outages, and their roofing was damaged by the strong winds, leading to significant challenges in maintaining safety and protecting equipment.
Bruno Jaspaert, head of DEEP C industrial zones in Haiphong and Quang Ninh, reported that businesses were scrambling to safeguard their sites and prevent further damage. Efforts were underway to protect inventory and equipment from the ongoing rain and storm damage.
Photos showed collapsed walls at a factory operated by South Korea's LG Electronics in Haiphong. While LG Electronics confirmed no casualties among its employees, the company acknowledged substantial damage, including flooding in a warehouse storing appliances.
The South Korean business association in Vietnam, represented by Hong Sun, reported widespread damage to Korean factories, with significant impacts on operations due to the typhoon.
On Monday, a significant bridge collapsed in the province of Phu Tho, causing traffic disruptions. No casualties from the incident have been reported by the authorities yet.
The weather service has issued a warning about the continued danger of more flooding and landslides. The damage has been exacerbated by recent rainfall in the northern region, which has varied from 208 millimeters to 433 millimeters (8.2 to 17.1 inches) in the last 24 hours.
State-run power provider EVN reported that over 5.7 million customers lost electricity during the storm. However, by Monday, nearly 75% of those affected had their power restored.
Overall, the typhoon has severely impacted economic activity, infrastructure, and daily life in northern Vietnam, with the full extent of the damage still being assessed.
