Hanoi: Vietnam is reeling from the impact of Typhoon Kajiki, which killed at least three people and injured 10 others as it swept through the country’s north central coast.
The storm damaged nearly 7,000 houses, submerged 28,800 hectares of rice fields, and uprooted 18,000 trees, according to a government statement. It also toppled 331 electricity poles, triggering widespread blackouts across Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho provinces.
In the capital Hanoi, torrential rains brought streets to a standstill as traffic was paralysed by flooding. Cars were seen submerged to their roofs, while floodwaters surrounded residential districts. The city is preparing to host its largest National Day parade in decades, marking the 80th anniversary of its founding.
State media footage showed water at West Lake, Hanoi’s largest lake, spilling over its banks as heavy downpours continued. Several villages in Bac Ninh province were also cut off due to severe flooding.
Kajiki made landfall before weakening into a tropical depression as it moved into Laos, the national weather agency reported. Despite the downgrade, officials warned of continued heavy rains across northern Vietnam, with some areas expected to receive up to 150 millimetres in just six hours, raising the risk of flash floods and landslides.
Before reaching Vietnam, the storm had skirted China’s southern Hainan Island, forcing the closure of businesses and public transport in Sanya City.
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