Vietnam death toll from Typhoon Wutip rises to seven

HANOI, Vietnam: The death toll in Vietnam from heavy rains and flooding caused by Typhoon Wutip has risen to seven, authorities said on Monday.

Wutip made landfall in southern China at the weekend with winds gusting up to 128 kilometres per hour (80 miles per hour) before downgrading to a tropical storm.

Seven people have been killed, 100 houses damaged and almost 60,000 hectares (148,000 acres) of crops submerged in central Vietnam, according to an update on Monday from the disaster and dyke management authority.

Vietnam is hit by roughly a dozen tropical storms every year, but in June they normally affect the north of the country and move southwards later in the year.

Late last week, central Vietnam, including the world heritage town of Hoi An, suffered serious flooding which caused deaths, disrupted traffic and damaged crops.

Experts say human-driven climate change is causing more intense weather patterns that can make destructive floods more likely.

Last year, natural disasters claimed 514 lives in Vietnam, three times more than in 2023.

In September 2024, northern Vietnam was devastated by Typhoon Yagi, which killed 345 people and caused an estimated economic loss of $3.3 billion.