Typhoon Yagi kills four after making landfall in Vietnam

Super Typhoon Yagi, Asia’s strongest storm this year, has killed at least four people after making landfall in northern Vietnam.

The Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center said the storm made landfall in Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces with winds of up to 203 km/h (126 mph) on Saturday morning.

Strong winds and flying debris damaged buildings and vehicles, and fallen trees led to power outages in the capital Hanoi.

State media said three people were killed in the northern province of Quang Ninh on Saturday, and another was killed in Hai Duong, near Hanoi. About 78 people were reported injured in the area.

In Hai Phong, AFP news agency reported that many metal roofing sheets and billboards were flying all over the city.

The incident comes after Typhoon Yagi devastated Hainan Island – a popular tourist destination dubbed China’s Hawaii – on Friday.

At least three people have been killed in China by the storm and nearly 100 injured.

Hai Phong city on Vietnam’s northern coast has a population of two million and bore the brunt of the storm.

Power outages hit parts of the city, home to several multinational factories, on Saturday while four airports in the north were shut down for much of the day.

Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam as authorities issue stay-at-home warnings.

Schools have been closed in 12 northern provinces, including the capital Hanoi.

China evacuated about 400,000 people on Hainan island on Friday ahead of Typhoon Yagi’s landfall. Trains, boats and planes were suspended, while schools were closed.

Local media reported widespread power outages, with some 830,000 households affected. Valuable crops were also wiped out.

Videos on Chinese social media showed windows of apartment buildings in Hainan being smashed.

Super typhoon equivalent to category 5 storm.

Yagi is the second strongest typhoon this year and has doubled in strength since making landfall in the northern Philippines earlier this week.

Floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi have killed at least 13 people in the northern Philippines, forcing thousands to evacuate to safer ground.

Scientists say hurricanes and cyclones are becoming stronger and more frequent due to climate change. Warmer ocean waters mean hurricanes absorb more energy, leading to higher wind speeds.

Warmer air also holds more moisture, which can lead to heavier rainfall.