Hanoi, August 26, 2025 – Typhoon Kajiki has left at least three people dead and caused widespread flooding across Vietnam, including the capital city of Hanoi, where streets have been turned into rivers and daily life has ground to a halt.
Rising Death Toll and Widespread Damage
Officials confirmed that three lives were lost during the storm. Victims included an elderly man whose home collapsed during heavy rain and a resident electrocuted while preparing his property for the typhoon. Several others were reported injured as winds and rain swept through central and northern provinces.
The storm damaged nearly seven thousand homes, toppled power lines, and submerged tens of thousands of hectares of farmland. Thousands of trees were uprooted, blocking roads and isolating rural communities. Power outages were reported across several provinces, leaving many residents without electricity for days.
Capital Brought to a Standstill
In Hanoi, torrential downpours overwhelmed the city’s drainage systems. Major roads were submerged, vehicles stalled in waist-deep water, and residents waded through flooded neighborhoods. The overflowing of West Lake added to the chaos, and the timing of the disaster has raised concerns as the city prepares for upcoming National Day celebrations.
Evacuations and Emergency Response
Authorities had evacuated nearly 600,000 people from vulnerable coastal and riverbank areas before the storm made landfall. More than 120,000 soldiers and emergency personnel were deployed to assist in rescue efforts, clear roads, and deliver supplies to affected communities. Airports in several provinces were forced to suspend operations as winds reached dangerous speeds.
Ongoing Risks
Although Kajiki has weakened into a tropical depression as it moved inland toward Laos, meteorologists warned of continued heavy rainfall in Vietnam’s northern regions. The risk of flash floods and landslides remains high, particularly in mountainous provinces where soil has already been saturated by earlier storms this year.
Climate Concerns
This year’s storm season has been particularly destructive in Vietnam, with more than a hundred lives lost or reported missing in earlier weather disasters. Experts warn that climate change is intensifying typhoons, making them stronger, less predictable, and more destructive.
For communities across Vietnam, Kajiki is a stark reminder of the country’s growing vulnerability to extreme weather events and the urgent need to strengthen disaster preparedness and climate resilience.
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