Death toll rises to five, two missing as Typhoon Wutip floods submerge farmland in Vietnam
HANOI, June 15 — Typhoon winds and rains that lashed central Vietnam killed five people and left two more missing, according to an official toll, with huge tracts of farmland flooded by the deluge.
Typhoon Wutip made landfall in southern China yesterday with winds gusting up to 128 kilometres per hour and was downgraded to a tropical storm after swooping up the Gulf of Tonkin on Vietnam's flank.
Vietnam's agriculture ministry said yesterday evening that three people had been killed in central Quang Tri province, with two more fatalities and two people missing in Quang Binh province.
More than 70,000 hectares of cropland were flooded, the ministry said.
Chinese authorities on the southern island of Hainan evacuated thousands of people, closed schools and halted rail services on Friday ahead of the storm's landfall.
However, the Joint Typhoon Warning Centre forecast yesterday that the storm would 'weaken to dissipation' by the end of the weekend.
Natural disasters are becoming more severe and more frequent as a result of climate change. They claimed 514 lives in Vietnam last year, three times more than in 2023, according to the agriculture ministry.
In September, northern Vietnam was devastated by Typhoon Yagi, which killed 345 people and caused an estimated economic loss of US$3.3 billion (RM14 billion). — AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Blistering summer heat claims four lives in Japan, officials urge immediate precautions
TOKYO, June 20 — Japan is sweltering under an unusually intense heatwave that has left at least four people dead from heatstroke and triggered widespread government warnings, as experts say the scorching weather is unlike anything recorded this early in the year. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued repeated heat alerts since Tuesday, urging residents to stay indoors, hydrate, and check on elderly neighbours. The heat has been especially punishing for older citizens — all four recorded fatalities were elderly, including a 96-year-old woman found collapsed in a field in Gunma prefecture. In some parts of the country, temperatures soared more than 10°C above the seasonal average. Kofu, northwest of Tokyo, reported 38.2°C — far above what's typical for Japan's rainy season. Gunma hit 37.7°C, and Shizuoka registered 37.6°C. Tokyo itself reached 34.8°C on Wednesday, while Osaka climbed to 33.4°C. In all, 547 locations nationwide saw the mercury pass 30°C. 'The current heat is clearly unusual,' said Yukiko Imada, a professor with the University of Tokyo's Department of Climate System Research, to South China Morning Post. 'For the first time since records began, over 150 locations have experienced extreme heat exceeding 35 degrees by mid-June.' Imada added that the baiu front — the seasonal rain front — had disappeared unusually early, a phenomenon she attributed to the premature expansion of the Pacific high-pressure system over Japan. 'Typically, the system expands over the country in July or August,' she said. Tokyo doctors treated 169 people for heatstroke on Tuesday alone, with another 57 cases on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse. The JMA's three-month forecast suggests the worst may be yet to come. 'There is a high probability that temperatures this year will be above normal,' Imada warned. In 2024, Tokyo alone saw a total of 252 suspected heatstroke deaths from June to early September, according to Mainichi Shimbun. In addition to general heat advisories, the JMA has deployed its heat stress index across 48 cities. None were categorised as 'safe'. In 15 cities, authorities urged residents to hydrate and take breaks if outdoors. In the remaining 32, the message was blunt: 'heavy exercise prohibited'. The agency has also issued practical guidance: avoid unnecessary outings, use air conditioning even if concerned about energy bills, and stay in contact with vulnerable neighbours. Last summer tied Japan's hottest on record. Officials coined new terms like moshobi — ferociously hot days above 35°C — and kokushobi — cruel heat days above 40°C — as extreme temperatures became increasingly frequent. Gunma recorded temperatures above 40°C in July 2023. Since 2000, Japan has seen such highs on 59 occasions. The national record of 41.1°C was hit in both Saitama (2018) and Shizuoka (2020). Cooling shelters have been set up in some areas, while local governments continue to monitor vulnerable populations. The extreme weather is expected to persist into the weekend.
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Hurricane Erick strengthens as it barrels toward Mexico
PUERTO ESCONDIDO: Hurricane Erick strengthened to an 'extremely dangerous' Category 4 early Thursday as it barreled toward Mexico's Pacific coast, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. Erick is expected to make landfall on Thursday morning bringing 'life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain', the center's latest bulletin said. By 0500 GMT, Erick was moving northwest at a speed of nearly nine miles (15 kilometers) per hour with maximum sustained winds increasing to 145 mph (230 km/h) and higher gusts. The hurricane could stengthen further before making landfall in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero before weakening as it moves inland, forecasters warned. Mexican authorities said they were also expecting heavy rain in Chiapas state. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters. In Acapulco, a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife, police with bullhorns walked the beach and drove around town warning residents and holidaymakers of the storm's arrival. Some shops boarded up their windows and operators of tourist boats brought their vessels ashore. Rainfall began in the late afternoon after a sunny day. About 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Acapulco, the city of Puerto Escondido and its 30,000 inhabitants braced for the hurricane's effects. Restaurants were already closed despite tourists unwilling to give up their vacations, an AFP journalist noted from the scene. 'They say it's going to hit this side of the coast, so we're taking precautions to avoid having any regrets later,' Adalberto Ruiz, a 55-year-old fisherman sheltering his boat, told AFP. Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of civil protection, said the government was using patrols and social media to warn people. Some 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers have been deployed to help with any clean-up efforts. Local authorities have suspended classes and closed ports along the coast, including the port of Acapulco, to shipping. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed at least 50 people. Hurricane John, another Category 3 storm that hit Acapulco in September last year, caused about 15 deaths.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- New Straits Times
Hurricane Erick strengthens as it barrels toward Mexico
PUERTO ESCONDIDO (Mexico): Hurricane Erick strengthened to an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 early today as it barreled toward Mexico's Pacific coast, the US National Hurricane Center said, warning of potentially deadly floods. Erick is expected to make landfall earlier today bringing "life-threatening flooding and mudslides, especially in areas of steep terrain", the center's latest bulletin said. By 10am, Erick was moving northwest at a speed of nearly nine miles (15 kilometers) per hour with maximum sustained winds increasing to 145 mph (230 km/h) and higher gusts. The hurricane could stengthen further before making landfall in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero before weakening as it moves inland, forecasters warned. Mexican authorities said they were also expecting heavy rain in Chiapas state. President Claudia Sheinbaum urged people to avoid going out and advised those living in low-lying areas or near rivers to move to shelters. In Acapulco, a major port and resort city famous for its nightlife, police with bullhorns walked the beach and drove around town warning residents and holidaymakers of the storm's arrival. Some shops boarded up their windows and operators of tourist boats brought their vessels ashore. Rainfall began in the late afternoon after a sunny day. About 250 miles (400 kilometers) south of Acapulco, the city of Puerto Escondido and its 30,000 inhabitants braced for the hurricane's effects. Restaurants were already closed despite tourists unwilling to give up their vacations, an AFP journalist noted from the scene. "They say it's going to hit this side of the coast, so we're taking precautions to avoid having any regrets later," Adalberto Ruiz, a 55-year-old fisherman sheltering his boat, told AFP. Laura Velazquez, national coordinator of civil protection, said the government was using patrols and social media to warn people. Some 2,000 temporary shelters have been set up in Chiapas, Guerrero and Oaxaca, and hundreds of troops and electricity workers have been deployed to help with any clean-up efforts. Local authorities have suspended classes and closed ports along the coast, including the port of Acapulco, to shipping. Mexico sees major storms every year, usually between May and November, on both its Pacific and Atlantic coasts. In October 2023, Acapulco was pummeled by Hurricane Otis, a powerful Category 5 storm that killed at least 50 people.
