Typhoon Yagi makes landfall in Vietnam
Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest typhoon in Asia this year, occurred in northern Vietnam.
The storm hit Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces with winds of 203 km/h (126 mph) on Saturday morning, the Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center said.
In Hai Phong, news agency AFP reports that metal roofing sheets and billboards were seen flying across the city.
On Friday, the Yagi arrived on the island of Hainan – a popular tourist destination called the China of Hawaii. At least three people have died in China as a result of this typhoon, and around 100 have been injured.
Hai Phong, a city on the northern coast of Vietnam, has a population of two million and suffered the brunt of the storm.
Power outages hit parts of the city, home to multinational industries, on Saturday and four northern airports suspended operations for long periods.
About 50,000 people were evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam when authorities issued a stay-at-home warning.
Schools are closed in 12 northern provinces, including the capital Hanoi.
On Friday, China evacuated about 400,000 people from Hainan Island ahead of Yagi’s arrival. Trains, boats and planes were grounded, and schools were closed.
Local media there reported widespread power outages, with an estimated 830,000 homes affected. Valuable plants have also been removed.
Videos on Chinese social media show windows being removed from towers in Hainan.
A superstorm is the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane.
Yagi is the second strongest typhoon so far this year and has doubled in strength since it hit the northern Philippines earlier this week.
Floods and landslides brought by Yagi have killed at least 13 people in the northern Philippines, with thousands of people forced to evacuate to safer ground.
Scientists say hurricanes and storms are becoming stronger and more frequent with climate change. Warmer ocean waters mean storms take on more energy, leading to higher wind speeds.
The warmer atmosphere also holds more moisture, which can lead to heavier rain.
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