Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful storm to hit Asia this year, has left dozens dead in northern Vietnam and caused widespread damage to infrastructure and factories. According to preliminary government estimates released on Monday, the death toll has reached 59, with state media reporting the figures.
The typhoon made landfall on Vietnam’s northeastern coast on Saturday, an area with significant manufacturing operations for both domestic and foreign companies. Although downgraded to a tropical depression on Sunday, the meteorological agency warned on Monday of the continued risk of floods and landslides.
Yagi’s impact has been severe, cutting power to millions of households and companies, flooding highways, disrupting telecommunications networks, and downing a medium-sized bridge along with thousands of trees. The economic activity in many industrial hubs has come to a standstill.
In Haiphong, a coastal city with a population of two million, managers and workers at industrial parks and factories reported no electricity and were attempting to salvage equipment from plants where metal sheet roofing had been blown away. With more rain expected, Bruno Jaspaert, head of DEEP C industrial zones, which host over 150 investors’ plants in Haiphong and the neighboring province of Quang Ninh, described the situation: “Everyone is scrambling to make sites safe and stocks dry.”
One notable incident involved the collapse of a factory wall at South Korea’s LG Electronics plant in Haiphong. While the factory, a major producer of appliances and consumer electronics, sustained damage, there were no casualties among its employees. The company reported flooding in a warehouse storing refrigerators and washing machines.
Hong Sun, chairman of the South Korean business association in Vietnam, confirmed significant damage to Korean factories in coastal areas. A manager of leased factories also reported widespread damage to roofs and extended power outages in northern provinces.
On Monday, a bridge in Phu Tho province collapsed, with authorities stating that initial investigations suggested eight vehicles were on the bridge at the time. While there were no immediate reports of casualties, the bridge’s collapse has heightened concerns.
The weather agency continues to warn of more floods and landslides, predicting heavy rain and strong winds in Hanoi, a city of 8.5 million people, later on Monday. The state-run power provider EVN reported that over 5.7 million customers lost power over the weekend, but nearly 75% had their electricity restored by Monday.
