Vietnam's Hanoi Evacuates Thousands as Red River Floods Reach 20-Year High

The swollen Red River in Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, has forced the evacuation of thousands of people living near its banks as water levels reached a 20-year high, days after Typhoon Yagi battered the country's north, claiming at least 179 lives.

Days after Typhoon Yagi devastated the northern regions of Vietnam, leaving at least 179 dead, the capital city of Hanoi is facing severe flooding as the mighty Red River swells to its highest level in two decades. The relentless waters have forced the authorities to evacuate thousands of residents living in low-lying areas near the river.

Yagi, Asia's most powerful typhoon this year, unleashed torrential rainfall and strong winds as it moved westward after making landfall on Saturday. The storm's wrath collapsed a bridge and ravaged provinces adjacent to the Red River, the largest waterway in the region.

Vietnam's Hanoi Evacuates Thousands as Red River Floods Reach 20-Year High

The rising water levels have submerged homes and inundated streets, turning entire neighborhoods into rivers. Nguyen Van Hung, a 56-year-old resident of a riverside community, lamented, "My home is now part of the river."

The government has estimated that the typhoon and subsequent landslides and floods have claimed the lives of 179 people, with 145 still unaccounted for. Safety concerns over live electrical wires prompted Vietnam's state-run power utility EVN to cut off electricity in flooded parts of the capital.

Vietnam's Hanoi Evacuates Thousands as Red River Floods Reach 20-Year High

Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, warned that the Red River had reached its highest point in two decades and that more rainfall was expected in the coming days. Authorities have ordered schools in Hanoi to close for the remainder of the week, while thousands of residents have been evacuated.

Near the city center, the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation relocated its office due to flood warnings. Spokesperson Carlota Torres Lliro expressed concern for the dozens of children and families living in makeshift houses along the riverbank.

On Wednesday, EVN discontinued water discharge from the Hoa Binh hydropower dam into the Da River, a tributary of the Red River, in an attempt to reduce water flow. However, Vietnamese authorities have raised concerns about Chinese hydropower plants releasing water into the Lo River, another Red River tributary, known as Panlongjiang in China. Beijing has stated that the two countries are collaborating on flood prevention efforts.

The relentless floods have also dealt a significant blow to factories and industries in the export-oriented hubs located east of Hanoi. Forced closures and disruptions to supply chains have raised concerns as Vietnam plays a vital role in global manufacturing, particularly in the production of electronics and other products for multinational corporations.

In the northern provinces beyond Hanoi, landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have claimed dozens of lives. Nguyen Duc Tam, a 40-year-old resident of Thai Nguyen, a city approximately 60 kilometers from Hanoi, described the devastating impact of the floods. "My house's first floor is completely under the water. Now we have no fresh water and electricity."

Another resident, Hoang Hai Luan, 30, said, "My belongings and possibly those of many others are completely lost."

The Samsung Electronics facility on the outskirts of Hanoi, responsible for producing nearly half of the company's global smartphone shipments, has so far remained unaffected by the flooding, according to a Reuters witness. However, the ongoing situation threatens to disrupt production and global supply chains.