Super Typhoon Yagi: Powerful Storm Makes Landfall In Vietnam, Evacuations Ordered, Airports Closed

Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm in Asia this year, made landfall in northern Vietnam. According to the Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center, the storm struck Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces with winds reaching 203 km/h (126 mph) on Saturday morning. In Hai Phong, news agencies reported that metal roof sheets and commercial sign boards were seen being blown across the city.

On Friday, Yagi had hit Hainan island, a popular tourist destination known as China’s Hawaii. The storm caused at least three deaths and nearly 100 injuries in China. Hai Phong, with a population of two million, bore the brunt of the storm. The city experienced power outages, affecting multinational factories, and four of the north’s airports suspended operations for much of the day.

People evacuated after Super Typhoon Yagi makes landfall

Nearly 50,000 people were evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, with authorities issuing a stay indoors warning. Schools in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi, were closed. On Friday, China evacuated around 400,000 people from Hainan island ahead of Yagi’s arrival. Trains, boats, and flights were suspended, and schools were shut.

Local media reported widespread power outages in Hainan, affecting about 830,000 households, and significant crop damage. Videos on Chinese social media showed windows being ripped out from tower blocks in Hainan.

Vietnamese PM takes stock of situation

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh instructed authorities to evacuate residents from hazardous areas, particularly those at risk of floods and landslides, ahead of the storm’s arrival.

Quang Ninh, which hosts the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay with its famous towering limestone islands, saw hundreds of cruise cancellations before the typhoon struck, as reported by local media.

Hai Phong, an industrial center, is home to major factories, including EV manufacturer VinFast and Apple supplier Pegatron.

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What is a super typhoon?

A super typhoon is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane. Yagi, the second strongest typhoon this year, has doubled in strength since its impact on northern Philippines earlier in the week. Floods and landslides from Yagi resulted in at least 13 deaths in the northern Philippines, with thousands forced to evacuate.

Scientists indicate that typhoons and hurricanes are becoming more intense and frequent due to climate change. Warmer ocean waters contribute to increased storm energy and higher wind speeds, while a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall.

Fatalities reported, airports closed

Authorities in Hanoi had pruned trees to reduce their risk of falling, but wind and rain caused several trees and billboards to topple in northern cities before the typhoon’s arrival. Local media reported that numerous moored boats were swept out to sea.

A woman was killed in the capital on Friday afternoon when a tree fell on the street following heavy rains. Four airports in northern Vietnam, including Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, were closed, resulting in the cancellation of over 300 flights. Sailing was also banned starting Friday. High schools in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi, were closed.

Typhoon Yagi caused at least 16 fatalities and left 17 people missing in the Philippines earlier this week while still a tropical storm. Over 47,600 people were displaced in the Philippines, and domestic flights, including those in Manila, were disrupted for several days. The typhoon caused flooding and landslides on Luzon Island before moving into the South China Sea and becoming a super typhoon.

Super Typhoon Yagi earlier struck China

Yagi struck southern China as a super typhoon, resulting in at least two deaths and 92 injuries on Hainan Island. The typhoon’s center hit Wenchang city on Friday afternoon, local time. State broadcaster CCTV reported that Yagi brought winds exceeding 230 kph, uprooted trees, cut power to over 800,000 homes, and led to the evacuation of about 460,000 people. Another 500,000 people in Guangdong province were evacuated before Yagi made a second landfall in Xuwen County on Friday night.

In Hong Kong, over 270 people sought refuge in temporary government shelters on Friday, and more than 100 flights were canceled due to the typhoon. Heavy rain and strong winds caused dozens of trees to fall, halting stock market trading, bank services, and school activities. Haikou’s meteorological observatory downgraded the typhoon signal from red to orange on Saturday as the typhoon moved away from the city.

Southern China frequently experiences typhoons in summer and autumn, which form in the warm oceans east of the Philippines and Thailand. A study published in July indicated that typhoons in the region are now forming closer to the coast, intensifying more rapidly, and remaining over land longer due to climate change.

Last week, Typhoon Shanshan struck south-western Japan as the strongest storm to hit the country in decades. Yagi is named after the Japanese word for goat and the constellation Capricornus.

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