HANOI, VIETNAM – A bridge collapse and a bus swept away by flooding on Monday have added to the devastation in Vietnam following Typhoon Yagi, which has claimed at least 59 lives. The typhoon, which struck the Southeast Asian nation over the weekend, has severely disrupted businesses and factories in the northern industrial hubs, according to local reports.
Typhoon Yagi made landfall on Saturday, initially causing nine fatalities before weakening to a tropical depression. Subsequent floods and landslides have resulted in at least 50 more deaths. Water levels in several northern rivers remain perilously high.
In Cao Bang province, a passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide on Monday morning. Rescuers faced significant challenges as landslides obstructed their access routes. Meanwhile, in Phu Tho province, a steel bridge over the swollen Red River collapsed, sending 10 vehicles and two motorbikes into the water. Three individuals were rescued and hospitalized, but 13 remain missing.
Pham Truong Son, 50, recounted his harrowing experience to local media. He was riding his motorcycle on the bridge when he heard a loud noise and found himself plunging into the river. Son managed to stay afloat by clinging to a drifting banana tree until he was rescued.
In Haiphong province, numerous businesses remained non-operational on Monday due to extensive damage. Factory roofs were blown off, and water infiltrated industrial units, damaging goods and equipment. Some companies reported ongoing power outages and estimated that it would take at least a month to resume production.
The industrial hubs of Haiphong and Quang Ninh provinces faced significant power outages due to toppled electricity poles. These regions host numerous factories, including those of EV maker VinFast and Apple suppliers Pegatron and USI. Initial damage assessments indicate that nearly 100 enterprises were affected, resulting in losses amounting to millions of dollars.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visited Haiphong on Sunday, approving a $4.62 million aid package to assist the port city in its recovery efforts. Typhoon Yagi, the strongest to hit Vietnam in decades, brought winds of up to 92 miles per hour. Although it weakened on Sunday, meteorologists warned that ongoing downpours could trigger further floods and landslides.
The typhoon also impacted agricultural lands, primarily rice fields. Before reaching Vietnam, Yagi caused at least 20 deaths in the Philippines and four in southern China. In China, the storm led to significant infrastructure damage, with losses amounting to $102 million.