Super Typhoon Yagi latest: Powerful storm to target Vietnam after leaving two dead in China

Vietnamese authorities have issued a high-level alert and ordered the evacuation of vulnerable residents as Typhoon Yagi, described as “one of the most powerful typhoons in the region over the past decade”, is predicted to make landfall on Saturday afternoon.

With wind speeds reaching up to 166kmph, Typhoon Yagi is classified as a strong typhoon, prompting the government to take swift action to ensure public safety. Four major airports, including Hanoi and Haiphong, have been closed, disrupting travel and cargo operations.

The evacuation orders come as the country braces for potential floods and landslides, with those in high-risk areas urged to seek shelter immediately.

The typhoon’s impact is expected to be significant, with state media citing Nguyen Van Huong from Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

A powerful typhoon is barreling towards Vietnam’s stunning Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its towering limestone islands and emerald waters.

Typhoon Yagi is expected to make landfall near the coastal province of Quang Ninh, prompting widespread cancellations of cruises and tours.

Authorities are racing against time to prepare for the storm’s impact, pruning trees in Hanoi to prevent them from falling and evacuating residents in high-risk areas. However, strong winds and heavy rain have already knocked over trees and billboards in northern cities, and local media reports that many moored boats have been swept out to sea.

Typhoon Yagi has claimed two lives and injured at least 92 people in China’s southern Hainan Island, with widespread power outages and property damage reported.

Typhoon Yagi, now heading towards northern Vietnam, was described by Vietnamese authorities as “one of the most powerful typhoons in the region over the past decade”.

Yagi made landfall in Hainan’s Wenchang city on Friday afternoon, packing wind speeds of up to 245kmph.

The storm caused significant disruption in China, with over 800,000 households left without power. In preparation for the typhoon’s arrival, 420,000 Hainan residents were relocated, while an additional 500,000 people were evacuated in Guangdong province before Yagi made a second landfall in Xuwen County on Friday night.

China’s national meteorological authorities have confirmed Yagi as the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China.

The UAE Embassy in Hanoi has issued a warning to Emirati citizens in Vietnam on Friday, urging them to exercise caution as Typhoon Yagi is expected to affect the country’s northern provinces.

In a statement, the embassy advised citizens to contact them in case of an emergency at 0097180024 or 0097180044444 as it urged the nationals to follow safety instructions issued by Vietnamese authorities.

The warning comes as Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Authority announced the closure of four airports in the north, including Hanoi’s Noi Bai International, on Saturday due to the storm.

Super Typhoon Yagi brought destruction to southern China’s Hainan island, leaving at least two dead and 92 injured after making landfall.

The storm lashed the island with heavy rain and gusty winds, uprooting trees and prompting the evacuation of 460,000 people. Winds reached over 230kmph, forcing the closure of Haikou’s main airport until 3pm on Saturday, reported CCTV.

Typhoon Yagi spun towards northern Vietnam over the Gulf of Tonkin on Saturday. Maximum wind speeds had eased slightly to the levels of a Category 3 typhoon from Category 4, coming in at 187 kmph, according to Chinese meteorological authorities.

Typhoon Yagi formed over the waters east of the Philippine archipelago on September 1. On gaining strength, it became a tropical storm and swept across Luzon, the most populous island in the Philippines, killing at least 16 people and injuring 13.

The storm grew dramatically stronger late in the week, becoming the world’s most powerful tropical cyclone in 2024 after Category 5 Atlantic hurricane Beryl, and the most severe in the Pacific basin this year.

Super Typhoon Yagi, Asia’s most powerful storm this year, churned towards the northern coast of Vietnam on Saturday after tearing through China’s southern island province of Hainan with lightning, rain and violent winds.

Vietnamese authorities took precautionary measures, urging ships to return to shore and evacuating residents and tourists from islands, according to state media.

Meanwhile, schools in Hanoi and other northern provinces were ordered to close on Saturday, local news media reported.

Additionally, the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam suspended flights at least four airports on Friday, halting all arrivals and departures.

Typhoon Yagi made two landfalls in southern China on Friday, forcing the relocation of nearly one million people as it brought widespread destruction and disruption to the region.

The storm, which packed winds of up to 245kmph, made its first landfall in Hainan province’s Wenchang city at around 4.20pm, and a second landfall in Xuwen County in neighbouring Guangdong province on Friday night.

Ahead of the landfalls, authorities evacuated nearly 420,000 residents in Hainan and over 500,000 in Guangdong, with many more forced to flee their homes due to heavy rain, power outages, and strong winds. The storm caused widespread disruptions, including:- Suspended classes, work, transportation, and businesses in parts of the province as early as Wednesday evening

– Closed tourist attractions and grounded flights at three airports on the island

– Power outages, leaving and heavy rain across most of Hainan

– Strong winds buffeting the province’s iconic coconut trees

The residents were building sandbag barriers outside buildings to guard against possible floods and reinforcing their windows with tape.

Authorities issued top emergency response alerts, with state broadcaster CCTV reporting that Qinzhou city in Guangxi region also issued a top emergency response alert to guard against the typhoon. The storm was described as the strongest autumn typhoon to have landed in China by the country’s national meteorological authorities.