Shafaqna India: On Thursday, millions across Southeast Asia faced severe flooding, power outages, and damaged infrastructure after Typhoon Yagi battered the region, pushing the death toll beyond 250.
Vietnam, the hardest-hit country, reported 226 fatalities, while northern Thailand saw nine confirmed deaths, with one district experiencing its worst flooding in 80 years. In Myanmar, the national fire service confirmed 17 deaths in the Mandalay region, where over 50,000 people have been displaced.
Typhoon Yagi unleashed a massive deluge, inundating northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, causing deadly landslides and extensive river flooding. In Vietnam, a farmer near Hanoi lamented the loss of his 1,800-square-meter peach blossom plantation, which was completely submerged, resulting in an estimated $40,000 in losses.
The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) reported that over 140,000 homes across 26 provinces in Vietnam have been damaged. Floodwaters are receding as they flow through the Red River into the sea, prompting authorities in the Red River Delta to evacuate more than 50,000 residents as a precaution.
The floods have devastated over 250,000 hectares of crops and livestock in Vietnam. In Lao Cai province, a landslide wiped out an entire village, killing at least 42 people with 53 still missing. Rescue teams continue to recover bodies and provide aid to survivors.
In Cao Bang province, a landslide on Monday pushed a bus, several cars, and motorbikes into a stream, resulting in 15 confirmed deaths. Myanmar’s junta government has established about 50 relief camps, and train services between Yangon and Mandalay have been suspended due to flooding.
The Mekong River Commission has issued a flood warning for Luang Prabang in Laos, predicting that the river will reach flood levels in the coming days. In Thailand, the death toll has risen to nine, including six from landslides in Chiang Mai province. All flights at Chiang Rai airport have been suspended, and Mae Sai district is experiencing its worst floods in 80 years.
The Jet Ski Association of Thailand has deployed 16 jet skis for relief efforts, navigating strong currents where traditional boats cannot reach. A video of a champion jet skier rescuing an elderly woman from the floodwaters has gained attention on Thai social media.
Heavy monsoon rains are a common annual occurrence in Southeast Asia, but climate change is intensifying these weather patterns, leading to more severe and frequent floods.