A busy bridge in northern Vietnam collapsed after super typhoon Yagi, sending 10 cars and two motorbikes plunging into the Red River, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc said on Monday.
It is not yet clear whether there were any casualties from the collapse of the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Tho province. Mr. Ho said at least three people had been rescued and 13 were missing.
Part of the 375-meter (1,230-foot) bridge remains intact, and Mr. Ho said he had instructed the military to build a pontoon bridge as soon as possible.
Typhoon Yagi, Asia’s strongest storm this year, has killed at least 59 people since making landfall in Vietnam on Saturday, packing winds of up to 203 km/h (126 mph).
In the days since, the storm has devastated northern Vietnam.
The country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Monday that at least 44 people were killed in landslides and flash floods, including a 68-year-old woman, a one-year-old boy and a newborn baby.
More than 240 people were injured, while about 1.5 million people remain without power.
The storm also ripped roofs off buildings and uprooted trees.
Despite weakening to a tropical depression, authorities warned of the risk of more flooding and landslides as the storm moves west.
In Yen Bai province, floodwaters rose as high as one meter (three feet) on Monday, forcing 2,400 families to move to higher ground as water levels rose, AFP news agency reported.
Yagi also sank and set dozens of fishing boats adrift. On Sunday, search and rescue teams found 27 people adrift at sea after dozens of fishermen were reported missing.
Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, while authorities have issued warnings asking residents to stay indoors.
Schools are temporarily closed in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi.
Before hitting Vietnam, Typhoon Yagi killed 24 people in southern China and the Philippines.
Scientists say hurricanes and cyclones are becoming stronger, more frequent and staying over land longer 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.
