Monday, December 23, 2024

At least 22 dead as Super Typhoon Yagi batters Vietnam, China and Philippines with winds of up to 145mph

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A so-called Super Typhoon has killed at least four people in northern Vietnam, after also battering China and the Philippines, bringing the total number of dead to 22.

The storm struck north Vietnam at about 1pm (7am UK time) on Saturday with winds of up to 99mph (160kph) near its centre.

A day earlier, winds had been recorded at 145mph (234kph) in Hainan, south China.

Vietnam’s government said four people had died and 78 had been injured while at least another dozen were missing at sea, according to state media.

Image:
Haikou in Hainan, south China, experienced intense winds of up to 145mph (234kph). Pic: AP/Xinhua

Yagi had already claimed the lives of at least two people in Hainan and 16 people in the Philippines, the first country it hit, earlier in the week.

Vietnam’s industrial hub of Haiphong, on the northern coast, was among the hardest hit – experiencing widespread power outages, waves as big as three metres high and strong winds that smashed windows.

Footage shows fallen trees and street poles, as well as roofing material littering the streets.

There was similar damage reported in Hainan, which has a population of more than 10 million, where electricity supplies were cut to more than 800,000 homes.

Meanwhile, Yagi triggered landslides and widespread flooding in the Philippines on Wednesday, affecting more than 2.3 million people in northern and central provinces.

More than 22,200 people were displaced from their homes and domestic flights were disrupted for days.

A woman wades through floodwaters as it rains during Tropical Storm Yagi, locally known as Enteng in Apalit, Pampanga, Philippines, September 5, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez
Image:
The storm triggered flooding in the Philippines earlier this week. Pic: Reuters.

Residents wade with an improvised float as they cross a flooded street caused by heavy rains from Tropical Storm Yagi in Cainta, Rizal province, Philippines.
Pic: AP
Image:
Heavy rains from Yagi triggered landslides and flooding in the Philippines. Pic: AP

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While Vietnam appeared to be better prepared, the country’s government still evacuated more than 50,000 people from coastal towns and deployed 450,000 military personnel ahead of Yagi’s arrival.

Four airports suspended operations for several hours, cancelling more than 300 flights and public transport was also stopped.

Last week, Typhoon Shanshan slammed into southwestern Japan, the strongest storm to hit the country in decades.

Yagi is named after the Japanese word for goat and the constellation of Capricornus.

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