After passing through southern China and the Philippines, Super Typhoon Yagi ripped roofs off buildings, submerged boats and triggered landslides in Vietnam that have killed 9 people to date.
According to state media, a family of four died in a landslide in the mountainous province of Hoa Binh in northern Vietnam early this morning.
The landslide occurred around midnight after several hours of heavy rain brought by the Yagi when a hillside gave way and collapsed on a house, AFP reported.
The 51-year-old owner of the house managed to escape, but his wife, daughter and two grandchildren were buried. Their bodies were discovered soon after.
Yagi, which devastated infrastructure and uprooted trees, made landfall in northern Vietnam on Saturday, triggering winds of more than 149 km/h.
Four people died on September 7 when the roof flew through the air, disaster authorities said.
One person in Hai Duong province died when strong winds toppled a tree.
This morning, several areas of the port city of Haiphong were under half a metre of floodwater and had no electricity, while power lines and electricity poles were damaged.
In Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage site about 70km up the coast from the city, fishermen were in shock as they surveyed the damage on Sunday morning.
According to locals, at least 23 boats were seriously damaged or submerged in the Hai Au boat lock on Tuan Chau island.
Roofs of buildings were blown off and motorcycles were left overturned in piles of debris and glass.
Pham Van Thanh, 51, a crew member of a tourist boat, said the entire crew of the vessel had remained on board since Friday to prevent it from sinking.
"The wind was pounding us from the back, with such pressure that no boat could stand," he said.
"Then the first one sank. Then one after the other. I have been a sailor for more than 20 years and I have never experienced a typhoon so strong and violent," he added.
Before hitting Vietnam, Yagi passed through southern China and the Philippines, killing at least 24 people and injuring dozens more.
According to a study published in July, typhoons in the region are now forming closer to shore, intensifying faster and staying over land longer due to climate change. | BGNES
