Trekking In Vietnam's Sapa Valley Stops In The Face Of Typhoon Yagi's Fury

A flash flood in northern Vietnam has devastated a hamlet in Lao Cai province, leaving 22 dead and dozens missing. The flood, triggered by water cascading down from a mountain on Tuesday, buried Lang Nu hamlet, home to 35 families, under mud and debris. So far, only about a dozen people have survived, with rescuers recovering 22 bodies and continuing the search for approximately 70 others.

The disaster is part of the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, which has claimed 141 lives as of Wednesday. An additional 69 people are missing, and hundreds have been injured, according to state broadcaster VTV. Most of the deaths have occurred in the northwest, including Hanoi and Lao Cai province, a region that borders China and is known for the popular trekking destination of Sapa.

Severe floods and landslides have caused widespread destruction, blocking roads and disrupting travel. All trekking activities in Sapa have been suspended due to the dangerous weather.

Tourism, a vital part of the local economy, has been hit hard, with many workers stranded. On Monday, a bridge collapse in Phu Tho province killed dozens when ten vehicles were swept into the Red River. In Cao Bang province, a bus carrying 20 passengers was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide.

Typhoon Yagi, the strongest to hit Vietnam in decades, made landfall on Saturday with winds up to 149 kph (92 mph). Though the storm weakened, heavy rains continue, keeping river levels dangerously high and affecting northern Vietnam’s industrial regions. Experts, including Benjamin Horton from the Earth Observatory of Singapore, have linked stronger storms like Yagi to climate change, which fuels storms with warmer ocean waters, leading to more intense rainfall and wind speeds.