Typhoon Kajiki hits Vietnam; 3 killed, widespread flooding, landslides reported
What's the story
Typhoon Kajiki has left a trail of destruction in Vietnam, killing at least three people and injuring 10 others. The storm hit the north central coast on Monday afternoon, damaging nearly 7,000 homes and inundating 28,800 hectares of rice fields. It also uprooted around 18,000 trees and damaged power infrastructure by bringing down 331 electricity poles.
Infrastructure damage
Storm causes widespread blackouts in several provinces
The storm also caused widespread blackouts in Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Thai Nguyen and Phu Tho provinces. According to local media, the storm caused significant disruption in urban centers, with continued warnings of landslides and flash floods in the hours ahead. State media photos showed severe flooding in Hanoi streets due to heavy rains. The weather agency has warned of continued rains in northern Vietnam, with some areas expecting up to six inches of rain within six hours.
City
Emergency teams directed to stockpile critical supplies
Emergency teams have been directed to stockpile critical supplies and equipment in accordance with the "four on-the-spot" principle (local manpower, materials, vehicles, and leadership) so that they can respond right away. Residents living near riverbanks and in low-lying areas have been told to evacuate, while others have been told not to travel, collect firewood, or fish near rivers. All vehicular traffic along dykes has been prohibited.
Storm path
Kajiki had skirted China's Hainan Island's southern coast
After hitting Vietnam, Kajiki weakened into a tropical depression as it moved toward Laos on Tuesday morning. Before its landfall in Vietnam, the storm had skirted China's Hainan Island's southern coast on Sunday. The island's Sanya City was also affected as businesses and public transport were shut down due to the storm.