Vietnam is bracing for severe flooding across its northern regions, including the capital, Hanoi, as the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi—the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year—continues to cause widespread devastation. Government officials warned that more flooding is imminent, with rivers rising to dangerous levels and many areas already inundated.
According to the disaster management agency, the storm has claimed the lives of at least 82 people, with 64 others still missing, primarily due to landslides and flash floods. Additionally, 752 people have been reported injured. The northern industrial hubs of Bac Giang and Thai Nguyen—home to several export-oriented multinational factories, including those of Samsung Electronics and Apple supplier Foxconn—are also under threat of severe flooding, though the impact on these companies remains unclear.
Typhoon Yagi made landfall on Vietnam’s northeastern coast on Saturday, battering both industrial and residential areas and triggering heavy rains that led to floods and landslides. The storm had previously hit the Philippines and China’s southern Hainan Island before moving towards Vietnam.
The disaster management agency and state media have reported that rivers in the northern regions have risen to alarming levels, causing widespread flooding in villages and residential areas. In Phu Tho province, a 30-year-old bridge over the Red River collapsed on Monday, leaving eight people missing. Authorities have restricted or banned traffic on several other bridges across the river, including the Chuong Duong Bridge, one of Hanoi’s largest, in response to rising water levels.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday, the government urged Hanoi residents, particularly in the riverside Long Bien district, to prepare for potential flooding. Public loudspeakers—once used for broadcasting Communist propaganda—are now being employed to warn residents to stay alert and be ready for evacuation. Some villages on the outskirts of Hanoi are already submerged, and local authorities have begun evacuating residents.
Bac Giang province, which has sustained damage estimated at 300 billion dong ($12.1 million), is also evacuating people from flood-prone areas. More than 4,600 soldiers have been deployed to aid evacuation efforts and support flood victims in the province.
Lao Cai province has reported the highest number of casualties, with 19 dead and 11 missing, mostly due to landslides. Across northern Vietnam, floods have submerged around 148,600 hectares of rice fields—approximately 7% of the region’s total—along with 26,100 hectares of cash crops. Nearly 50,000 homes have also been damaged, compounding the region’s suffering as the storm continues to wreak havoc.