In the wake of Super Typhoon Yagi, a vital bridge in northern Vietnam has collapsed, sending at least 10 vehicles plunging into the Red River in Phu Tho province. The Phong Chau Bridge, a 375-meter (1,230-foot) structure, partially collapsed as powerful winds and floods ravaged the region. At least three people have been rescued, while 13 remain missing, according to Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc.
The disaster is part of a broader wave of destruction that has gripped northern Vietnam since Typhoon Yagi made landfall on Saturday (7), bringing winds as high as 203 km/h (126 mph).
WARNING – disturbing footage.
In Vietnam, at least 13 people fell into the Hồng (Red) River after part of Phong Châu Bridge in Phú Thọ was swept away by floodwaters. About 10 vehicles and two motorbikes fell in. Rescue efforts are hindered by fast currents following Typhoon… pic.twitter.com/TUZSnL5EIe— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 9, 2024
The super typhoon, the most powerful storm to hit Asia in 2024, has already claimed at least 60 lives across the region, with 44 victims, including a 68-year-old woman, a one-year-old boy, and a newborn baby, perishing in landslides and flash floods.
Rescue efforts are ongoing, with the military instructed to build a pontoon bridge as an immediate solution to restore connectivity in the area. The storm has left more than 240 people injured, and roughly 1.5 million residents are still without power.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development confirmed that in addition to the lives lost, the storm has inflicted extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and local businesses. In the Yen Bai province, floodwaters reached a meter (three feet) high, prompting the evacuation of 2,400 families to higher ground.
Meanwhile, dozens of fishing boats have been sunk or swept away by the storm, leaving fishermen stranded at sea. On Sunday, 27 individuals were found drifting after being reported missing.
Authorities have issued warnings for further flooding and landslides as the weakened storm, now downgraded to a tropical depression, moves westward. In the coastal regions, nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated, while schools in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi, have been temporarily closed as a precaution.
The storm’s devastation extends beyond Vietnam, as Yagi previously wreaked havoc across southern China and the Philippines, leaving 24 people dead. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and intensity of such storms to climate change, with warmer ocean waters and atmospheric moisture fueling more destructive typhoons and hurricanes.
