Death toll from Yagi rises to nearly 60 in Vietnam
Vietnamese authorities say the death toll from heavy rains and flooding associated with Typhoon Yagi has risen to 59. Nine people died during the typhoon, which made landfall in Vietnam on Saturday before weakening to a depression, and 50 others died during the consequent floods and landslides. The water levels of several rivers in northern Vietnam were dangerously high. A passenger bus carrying 20 people was swept into a flooded stream by a landslide in Cao Bang province on Monday morning.  Rescuers were deployed but landslides blocked the path to where the incident took place. In Phu Tho province, rescue operations were continuing after a steel bridge over the engorged Red River collapsed on Monday morning.  Reports said 10 cars and trucks along with two motorbikes fell into the river. Three people were pulled out of the river and taken to hospital, but 13 others were missing. Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit Vietnam in decades when it made landfall over the weekend with winds up to 149 kilometres an hour. It weakened to a tropical depression Sunday, but the country’s meteorological agency has still warned the continuing downpours could cause floods and landslides. (AP)