Viet Nam: Typhoon Yagi and Floods - Situation Update No. 3 (as of 14 September 2024)

This report is produced by the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, in collaboration with humanitarian partners and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). It covers the period from 13-14 September 2024.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Eight days after Typhoon Yagi struck northern Viet Nam, authorities are engaged in a massive recovery effort. Heavy and prolonged rains followed for five days, raising river levels, triggering floods and landslides in northern Viet Nam.
  • As search and rescue teams continue their efforts, the number of casualties as a result of Typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods and landslides rose to 273 people and 78 people missing.
  • The typhoon displaced over 74,500 families, closed schools, disrupted healthcare, and increased the risk of waterborne diseases.
  • On 9 September, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) appealed to the international community to support in relief and recovery efforts, with UN agencies, national and international NGOs, and several countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Republic of Korea, United Kingdom, India, Russia and the US, responding with emergency supplies and funds.
  • From 10-14 September the Disaster Risk Reduction Partnership (DRRP) dispatched three joint assessment teams to Lao Cai-Yen Bai, Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong provinces to evaluate damages and needs, with initial assessment findings from Quang Ninh and Hai Phong provinces now available.

273 fatalities

78 people missing

183K hectares crops flooded

168K homes damaged

100K households evacuated

1,900 people injured

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Eight days after Typhoon Yagi struck northern Viet Nam, authorities are engaged in a massive recovery effort. Heavy and prolonged rains that followed for five days after the typhoon, raised river levels, and triggered floods and landslides in northern Viet Nam. The typhoon and subsequent rains led to significant damage to homes and infrastructure in the northern regions and areas around the capital Hanoi. As of 14 September, at least 273 people are reported dead with 78 people missing, however, the number of casualties is likely to rise as first responders continue to reach hard to access or inaccessible mountainous areas.

The typhoon and subsequent floods led to the evacuation of 100,000 people and caused extensive damage to an estimated 168,000 homes, 550 health facilities, and 805 schools, and to power and water shortages to hundreds of thousands of households. In the northern midland and mountainous provinces, 239 road sections remain blocked with the Ministry of Transport coordinating with relevant authorities to manage traffic and reopen roads as quickly as possible. Railway lines (Hanoi-Phu Ly, Gia Lam-Hai Phong, Dong Anh-Quan Trieu, Kep-Ha Long-Cai Lan, Yen Vien-Lao Cai, Hanoi-Dong Dang, Kep-Luu Xa, Mai Pha-Na Duong, Chi Linh-Pha Lai) were also damaged leading to train travel disruptions due to broken poles, fallen trees, flooding, and landslides. However, in other basic services, restorations are ongoing; as of 12 September, electrical supply was restored to nearly 5.6 million of the approximately 6.1 million affected people.

More information related to impact and needs associated with the typhoon and subsequent rains is becoming available as the preliminary findings of the joint assessment missions are released. In Quang Ninh province, 70,629 households were affected by flooding, and over 1,200 hectares of crops were damaged. Significant damage to high-rise buildings, government offices, coastal industrial infrastructure and schools was also reported. 100 schools and 107 community cultural centers were designated as temporary shelters for those needing to evacuate their homes. Some schools in the more remote areas suffered heavy damage to their infrastructure, which may take these schools much longer to be fully operational again. Due to lack of electrical power, clean water supply is intermittent in the province, particularly in the most affected areas such as Ha Long city, Cam Pha, and Quang Yen districts.

In Hai Phong province, more than 40,000 homes and facilities were damaged, in addition to 573 damaged schools and 135 health centers. Due to the school damage and lack of electric supply, most schools remain closed. More than 25,000 hectares of crops and 3,380 hectares of aquaculture were damaged, raising concerns over livelihood opportunities during the recovery period, and a call by authorities for livelihood support. In both provinces, markets were observed to be open and functioning, allowing for humanitarian partners to plan cash interventions for most affected families to meet their basic needs, including shelter repair.

In the next 24 hours it’s expected that flood waters on the Cau, Thuong, and Hoang Long rivers will continue to decrease but remain above the third warning level. The water levels of the Luc Nam and Thai Binh rivers will also continue to decrease but remain above the second warning level. The Red River in Hanoi is expected to fall below the first warning level. With a cessation of the typhoon related rains and receding flood water, the true extent of the loss and damages is expected to become clearer as search and rescue operations wind down and authorities focus on coordinating relief and recovery efforts, particularly to those most affected and most vulnerable pre-crisis.