Parts of Hanoi are still flooded after landslides in northern Vietnam

HANOI, Sept 12 (Reuters) – Several districts of Hanoi were still flooded on Thursday, with the weather agency forecasting little change in the water level of the Red River over the next 24 hours as floods and landslides continued to hit areas in northern Vietnam.

The country is still reeling from the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm to hit Asia this year, which made landfall on Saturday. At least 197 people have died since the storm and 128 are missing, the state disaster management agency said. About 800 people were injured.

“High flood levels have inundated river banks and low-lying areas, eroded dykes and threatened parts of Hanoi and other northern provinces,” the agency said in a report.

The city had previously evacuated thousands of people living near the flood as the river's water level reached its highest in 20 years.

“There is great sadness in the town and great concern into the evening,” said Skye Maconachie, co-CEO of the Blue Dragon Children's Foundation charity. “Many people who had very little have lost everything.”

“Reconstruction will be a long road, especially until people's livelihoods are restored and they can be moved into safe and clean housing,” he said.

North of Hanoi, several areas are still affected by landslides and severe flooding, state media reported.

“I never thought my house would be so deeply under water,” said Hoang Van Ty in front of his house in Thai Nguyen province.

“All my clothes and furniture are underwater. A lot of things were floating around too, but luckily I had the doors closed so nothing was washed away.”

In Lao Cai province, authorities on Thursday rushed to search for 55 people who went missing in a flash flood in Nu village on Tuesday, the Vietnamese news agency reported.

The flash flood killed 46 people and injured 17 others, the agency reported. 300 soldiers and 359 local officials are supporting the search and rescue operation.

The landslides and floods have inundated more than 200,000 hectares of rice and crop fields in northern Vietnam, the disaster management agency said.

The typhoon also cut off power supplies and blew off the roofs of several factories in Haiphong and Quang Ninh provinces, bringing production to a halt.

Several countries, including Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States, said they would send aid to Vietnam.

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