Typhoon Yagi: Devastating Impact Across Asia

Vietnam's northern provinces closed airports and evacuated residents as Typhoon Yagi prepares to make landfall. The typhoon has already caused fatalities and injuries in China and severe disruption in the Philippines. Authorities have issued alerts and conducted evacuations in vulnerable areas, while the typhoon's wind speeds have reached up to 245 km/h.

Vietnam's northern provinces have taken drastic measures, including closing airports and evacuating residents, as Typhoon Yagi is expected to make landfall on Saturday afternoon. The storm has already wreaked havoc in China's Hainan province, resulting in two deaths and nearly a hundred injuries.

Describing Yagi as “one of the most powerful typhoons in the region over the past decade,” Vietnamese meteorological authorities reported wind speeds of 150-166 km/h. Yagi is projected to hit near Quang Ninh, affecting the UNESCO World Heritage site Ha Long Bay, where hundreds of cruises have been cancelled.

Government alerts have been issued for flood-prone and landslide-vulnerable areas, leading to extensive evacuations. Four airports, including those in Hanoi and Haiphong, remain shuttered. In China, Yagi left significant damage, prompting the evacuation of around a million people before the storm moved towards Vietnam.