Vietnam’s northern region is facing deadly disasters caused by the remnants of this year’s strongest typhoon in Asia, Typhoon “Bavi”. Vietnamese officials predict that parts of northern Vietnam, including the capital Hanoi, will be submerged in floods due to the residual circulation of Typhoon “Bavi”.
According to the latest disaster report released by Vietnam’s disaster management agency on Tuesday, as of 6 a.m. on September 10, landslides and floods triggered by Typhoon “Bavi” (also known as Mekkhala) have already claimed at least 65 lives, with 39 people missing and 752 others injured in the northern region. The death toll is still rising.
Industries in northern Vietnam, including multinational companies like Samsung Electronics and Apple supplier Foxconn located in Bac Giang and Thai Nguyen provinces, are facing severe threats from the typhoon. It is not yet clear if these companies have been affected by the flooding.
After causing severe disasters in China and the Philippines, Typhoon “Bavi” made landfall in northeastern coastal areas of Vietnam last Saturday, September 7. The continuous heavy rainfall brought by the typhoon triggered floods and landslides, destroying large industrial zones and residential areas in Vietnam.
Reports from Vietnam’s rescue agencies and state media indicate that water levels of several rivers in northern Vietnam have exceeded the warning levels, leading to the flooding of villages and residential areas.
In Phu Tho province in northern Vietnam, an official statement confirmed the collapse of a 30-year-old bridge over the Red River on Monday, resulting in 8 people missing.
State-owned media in Vietnam reported that some bridges over rivers have restricted passage. Starting Tuesday morning, one of Hanoi’s largest bridges that spans the Red River, the Chuong Duong Bridge, limited vehicle traffic.
Hanoi authorities posted on their Facebook account on Tuesday, warning, “The water level of the Red River is rapidly rising.”
In Long Bien district along the Red River in Hanoi, officials are broadcasting warnings to residents to be vigilant against floods and prepared for evacuation.
According to Vietnam Television (VTV), floods have already submerged villages on the outskirts of Hanoi, with authorities evacuating residents from those areas.
Vietnamese authorities state that residents in low-lying areas of Bac Giang province are also being evacuated. The losses caused by the flooding triggered by Typhoon “Bavi” in the province are estimated to have reached 30 billion dong (approximately 12.1 million USD).
The disaster management agency reported that the province of Lao Cai suffered the most casualties, with 19 deaths and 11 missing, mostly due to fatalities in landslides.
Preliminary statistics from the agency show that Typhoon “Bavi” damaged nearly 50,000 houses in northern Vietnam, flooding 148,600 hectares, about 7% of rice fields, and 26,100 hectares of economic crops.
(This article is based on reports from Reuters)