Vietnam faces rising death toll from supertyphoon Yagi aftermath

Typhoon Yagi, which struck Asia in early 2024, has resulted in a devastating aftermath in Vietnam, with at least 226 confirmed fatalities and over 100 individuals still unaccounted for. The storm triggered catastrophic landslides and flash floods, particularly affecting the hamlet of Lang Nu in Lao Cai province, where entire communities were obliterated. The flooding also led to significant evacuations in several districts of Hanoi, as the Red River reached alarming levels not seen in two decades. The typhoon's impact was felt beyond Vietnam, having previously made landfall in the Philippines and China, where additional casualties were reported. In the Philippines, at least 20 people lost their lives, while four deaths were confirmed in China, with many more missing. The widespread destruction highlights the increasing severity of tropical storms in the region, a trend attributed to climate change. Experts, including Benjamin Horton from the Earth Observatory of Singapore, emphasize that warmer ocean temperatures are intensifying storms like Yagi, resulting in higher wind speeds and more substantial rainfall. This phenomenon is part of a broader pattern of extreme weather events that have become more frequent due to climate change, which is exacerbated by human activities such as fossil fuel consumption. As the world experiences unprecedented heat and extreme weather, the situation in Vietnam serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate action. The rising death toll and destruction underscore the vulnerability of communities to natural disasters, prompting calls for better preparedness and response strategies to mitigate future impacts.