Hanoi Flooded by Swollen River After Typhoon Yagi Claims 155 Lives

Photo : Reuters

Hanoi is grappling with severe flooding caused by the swollen Red River, exacerbated by Typhoon Yagi, which has left 155 dead and caused widespread destruction across northern Vietnam. The Red River, swollen to its highest level in 20 years, has inundated streets and led to the evacuation of thousands from flood-prone areas in the Vietnamese capital.

The typhoon, which is the most powerful to hit Asia this year, made landfall on Saturday and brought with it intense gales and torrential rain. As Yagi moved westward, it triggered the collapse of a bridge and caused significant flooding and landslides in provinces along the Red River.

Nguyen Van Hung, a 56-year-old resident of a Red River neighborhood, described the impact, stating, "My home is now part of the river." The devastation has resulted in at least 155 fatalities and 141 people reported missing across the country, according to government estimates.

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In response to the crisis, the state-run power utility EVN has cut off electricity in some of the inundated areas of Hanoi for safety reasons. Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, reported that the Red River has reached its highest level in two decades and warned of additional rain in the coming days.

Many schools in Hanoi have closed for the week, and authorities have ordered evacuations from low-lying areas. The Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, a charity based in Hanoi, evacuated its office on Tuesday after warnings of severe flood risks. Spokesperson Carlota Torres Lliro expressed concern over the safety of children and families living in makeshift homes near the river.

To mitigate the flood risk, EVN has halted water discharge from the Hoa Binh hydropower dam, Vietnam’s second-largest, into the Da River, a tributary of the Red River. Additionally, concerns have been raised about water being released from Chinese hydropower plants into the Lo River, another tributary of the Red River. The two countries are reportedly cooperating on flood prevention measures.

The typhoon's impact extends beyond the capital, affecting industrial operations in coastal regions. Factories, including those for major multinational companies like Samsung Electronics, have been disrupted. Some factories, vital to global supply chains, might not resume full operations for weeks.

In northern provinces, landslides triggered by the floods have resulted in additional fatalities. Nguyen Duc Tam, a resident of Thai Nguyen, about 60 km from Hanoi, reported that his home’s first floor was completely submerged. He lamented the loss of fresh water and electricity, while Hoang Hai Luan, a resident of the same area, noted that the flooding was the worst he had seen in over 20 years.

Despite the widespread damage, there have been no reports of flooding at Samsung Electronics’ facility, which is a significant global production site for the company.

The ongoing crisis underscores the severe impact of Typhoon Yagi and highlights the challenges faced by Vietnam as it deals with one of the worst flooding events in recent years.