A busy bridge in northern Vietnam has collapsed in the wake of super typhoon Yagi, plunging 10 cars and two scooters into the Red River, Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc said on Monday.

At least three people have so far been rescued and 13 are missing after the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Tho province collapsed, Mr Ho added. It is unclear if there have been any deaths.

Part of the 375-metre (1230 feet) structure is still standing, and the military has been instructed to build a pontoon bridge as soon as possible.

Yagi, Asia’s most powerful storm this year, has killed more than 60 people since it made landfall in Vietnam on Saturday, bringing strong winds of up to 203 km/h (126 mph).

In the days since, the storm has wreaked havoc in northern Vietnam.

At least 44 victims were killed by landslides and flash floods, the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Monday – a 68-year-old woman, a one-year-old boy and a newborn baby among them.

More than 240 people have been injured, while some 1.5 million are still without power.

The typhoon also tore roofs from buildings and uprooted trees.

Although it has weakened into a tropical depression, authorities have warned of more flooding and landslides as the storm moves westwards.

In the Yen Bai province, flood waters reached a metre (three feet) high on Monday, with 2,400 families moved to higher ground as the water levels rose, AFP news agency reported.

Yagi also sunk and swept adrift dozens of fishing boats. On Sunday, search and rescue personnel found 27 people drifting at sea after a dozen fishermen were reported missing.

Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, with authorities issuing a warning to remain indoors.

Schools were temporarily closed in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi.

Before hitting Vietnam, Yagi left 24 people dead across southern China and the Philippines.

Scientists say typhoons and hurricanes are becoming stronger, more frequent and staying over land for longer due to climate change. Warmer ocean waters mean storms pick up more energy, which leads to higher wind speeds.

A warmer atmosphere also holds more moisture, which can lead to more intense rainfall.

(BBC News)

A young man in India who had recently returned from a country experiencing an Mpox (monkeypox) outbreak, has been identified as the first suspected Mpox case in India.

He is symptomatic but stable, with samples taken to confirm infection.

Authorities have initiated contact tracing and are managing the case according to established protocols to identify sources and assess the impact within India.

This situation aligns with the earlier risk assessment by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Officials stress there is no cause for alarm, stating, “the country is well-prepared to handle isolated travel-related cases.” They also asserted that robust measures are in place to manage and mitigate any potential risk.

Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed between humans through close physical contact. It can sometimes be deadly, causing fever, muscular aches, and large boil-like skin lesions.

The World Health Organization declared an international emergency on August 14 due to a surge in cases of the Clade 1b strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which then spread to nearby countries. A vaccination campaign against Mpox in Congo will begin on October 2.

(Excerpts : TOI)

Authorities in coastal regions in southern China stepped up precautionary measures and conducted timely evacuations as they braced for the impact of the Super Typhoon Yagi, which made landfall in south China’s Hainan Province on Friday afternoon.

The 11th typhoon of the year, Yagi, made landfall at 16:20 local time Friday in the Wengtian Township of Hainan’s Wenchang City, with ferocious wind speeds exceeding 234 kilometers per hour.

The typhoon has brought heavy rainfall across most of the island, with severe rainstorms pummeling many townships and villages. Around 20,000 firefighters, soldiers, and additional rescue personnel have gathered and are on standby to handle any emergency situations which may arise, while the relevant departments stocked up on relief supplies in advance.

As of 17:00 on Friday, more than 460,000 people have been evacuated and more than 500 relocation centers have been set up across Wenchang City. Efforts are also ongoing to assess geological hazards and conduct inspections of the rivers, lakes, and reservoirs deemed at risk.

As the typhoon approaches the southern Chinese province of Guangdong, efforts are also being stepped up to ensure emergency support for power, communication, and transportation.

The typhoon-induced suspension of all ferry services across the Qiongzhou Strait between Hainan and Guangdong led to over 3,000 trucks being left stranded in the Xuwen County of Zhanjiang City. Local authorities have dispatched specialized teams to direct people to specific emergency shelters.

Meanwhile, multiple cities in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, including the popular coastal resort city of Beihai, have preemptively implemented various measures, including suspending business operations and closing schools, while more coastal regions are stepping up their preventive work.

Elsewhere, South China’s Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions (SARs) have taken a variety of precautions for Super Typhoon Yagi. The stock exchange in Hong Kong was shuttered while schools remained closed on Friday. All ferries, buses and taxis have been suspended across the city, and subways are running on a reduced timetable.

Macao also proactively implemented a range of preventive emergency measures that encompassed transportation, water and electricity supplies, and municipal services.

(CCTV +)
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