Parts of Southeast Asia faced heavy rainfall on Tuesday as Typhoon Kajiki made landfall in Vietnam, bringing floods and devastation to Hanoi.
Rainwater flooded the streets of the capital, with people pushing their motorbikes through water ranging from ankle-deep to car-high.
On Tuesday, authorities reported that the storm had killed at least three people and injured at least 10 others in Vietnam. They warned that the heavy rains could trigger flash floods and landslides.
The typhoon hit central Vietnam with winds of up to 130km/h (80 mph) tearing roofs off thousands of homes and leaving over 1.6 million people without power.
Vietnam clears up after the typhoon
The news agency AFP reported that soldiers and rescue workers were using cutting equipment to clear roads blocked by fallen trees and roof panels.
“A huge steel roof was blown down from the eighth floor of a building, landing right in the middle of the street,” one resident told AFP. “It was so lucky that no one was hurt. This typhoon was absolutely terrifying,” he added.
State media reported that more than 16,500 soldiers and 107,000 paramilitary workers were assisting with evacuations.
Airports in Vietnam’s Thanh Hoa and Quang Binh provinces have been closed since Monday, halting all flights.
According to a statement from the government, the storm damaged 7,000 homes, over 28,000 hectares of rice fields, and over 18,000 trees. Meanwhile, videos on social media showed Hanoi’s largest lake overflowing.
Vietnam’s national weather agency warned that more rainfall is expected in several parts of the northern region of the country. Neighboring countries Laos and Thailand have also experienced heavy rainfall.
Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
