HANOI: Landslides and widespread flooding triggered by Typhoon Yagi have killed at least 197 people in Vietnam, while more than 100 were still missing, authorities said on Thursday.
Typhoon Yagi – the strongest typhoon to strike northern Vietnam in around 30 years – swept across the region on Saturday, bringing ferocious winds and torrential rain.
On Thursday, Australia Foreign Minister Penny Wong pledged $3 million Australian (US$1.9 million) to Vietnam for humanitarian relief, emergency supplies and other essential services, reported German news agency (dpa).
“Our support will focus on rapid response and early recovery for the most vulnerable, including women, children and people with disabilities, and communities in isolated rural and remote regions,“ Wong said.
Australia had also sent a plane packed with emergency supplies for families, such as shelter and hygiene kits, the minister said.
According to Vietnam’s authorities, the tropical storm damaged thousands of houses, many of which were completely under water. Hundreds of thousands of trees were uprooted in several provinces while some 1.5 million farm animals, mainly poultry and livestock, also died.
Almost 200,000 hectares of rice fields had been significantly damaged and more heavy rain is forecast for some regions.
The storm is now causing concern in Thailand, with warnings of heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The number of fatalities has risen to six, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported, citing local authorities.
Yagi had previously swept across the Philippines and China, causing death and destruction there as well.
Tropical cyclones form over warm ocean waters. Increasing global temperatures raise the likelihood of strong storms.
