Southeast Asia Flood Crisis: Over 200 Dead As Millions Face Hardships

Southeast Asia Flood Crisis: Over 200 Dead As Millions Face Hardships

Millions across Southeast Asia faced severe disruptions on Thursday as Typhoon Yagi left a trail of destruction, with homes flooded, power outages, and infrastructure damaged. The death toll has surpassed 200.

In Vietnam, the hardest-hit area, fatalities have risen to 197. Northern Thailand reported nine deaths, with one district experiencing its worst flooding in 80 years.

Myanmar’s national fire service confirmed the first Yagi-related deaths in the country, with 17 bodies recovered from submerged villages in Mandalay, and over 50,000 people displaced.

Yagi’s immense rainfall inundated northern Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar, causing deadly landslides and widespread river flooding.

In Hanoi, a farmer reported that his 1,800 square meter peach blossom plantation was completely submerged, resulting in a loss of around $40,000. He is now awaiting the receding of the floodwaters.

The United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF) reported that more than 140,000 homes across 26 Vietnamese provinces have been damaged. Flooding has affected over 250,000 hectares of crops, with Hanoi’s farmland particularly hard hit.

In the Vietnamese capital, commuters waded through deep brown floodwaters, though river levels are slowly falling after reaching a 20-year high.

The deadliest incident occurred in Lao Cai province, where a landslide obliterated a village of 37 houses, killing at least 42 people with 53 still missing.

Rescue teams have been working to recover bodies from the debris and provide temporary shelters for survivors, who are also salvaging personal belongings from the mud.

In Cao Bang province, 15 bodies were recovered after a landslide pushed a bus and several vehicles into a stream.

Myanmar’s government has established around 50 camps for flood-affected people. Train services between Yangon and Mandalay have been suspended due to flood damage.

The Mekong River Commission has issued a flood warning for Luang Prabang in Laos, predicting the river will reach flood levels soon.

In Thailand, the death toll has reached nine, including six from landslides in Chiang Mai. Flights to Chiang Rai have been suspended, and the Jet Ski Association of Thailand has deployed 16 jet skis to aid in relief efforts.

Climate change is contributing to more intense weather patterns, making destructive floods more likely, as highlighted by recent studies.