Travel planning around Typhoon Yagi
I wish to express my deepest sympathies to the people in SE Asia impacted by Typhoon Yagi.
In the leadup to our departure from Canada…
Typhoon Yagi passed over the northern Philippines and northern Hainan and made landfall in northern Vietnam (east of Hanoi) on September 7th. By that time it had been downgraded from a super typhoon (Cat 5)[1] to a Cat 3 typhoon (with sustained wind speeds of 204 km per hour - according to the New York Times).[2]
The typhoon reaching landfall in line with the rainy monsoon season has wreaked havoc over northern Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. By September 12th, the devastation in the northern part of the country had already claimed 220 lives[3] and caused massive infrastructure damage. On September 11, BBC reported that “Thousands of people have been evacuated from low-lying areas in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi, as the Red River surges to its highest level in two decades.”[4]
Special forces have been deployed in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai which has sustained massive flooding and a death toll of 33.[5] Landslides near Chiang Mai have also occurred. [6]
While serving in the Canadian Navy, I was directly involved in the emergency response to the 1997 flooding of the Red River in Manitoba (how ironic it has the same name as the river in Hanoi). I therefore, have a pretty good idea of what to expect on the ground. While my friend Deb and I still have a couple of weeks before our planned arrival in northern Thailand, I will be doing my best to keep track of the news and follow the emergency response being carried out in Thailand and Vietnam.
I have family in northeastern Thailand, who for the time being, are safe and have not been greatly impacted. Massive flooding had already caused damage to roads and houses by the end of August - even before Typhoon Yagi had reached land. These photos (above), which I received on August 29, are of road damage in northern Thailand from the incredible amounts of water. Damaged roads make it even more challenging for authorities to respond to emergencies.
I know some tourists might already be canceling vacation plans for northern Thailand or northern Vietnam, based on the media coverage. However, having worked in Emergency Management for numerous years even after I left the Navy, I feel that I still want to go. I don’t want to be an added burden on the ground if the emergency balloons, but I do want to see my family - and knowing that any tourist dollars I do spend will likely aid with the recovery. My previous experience might be useful, and I’m willing to help out if needed! I’ll be watching the situation closely up until my departure date.
If you had travel plans, what would you do in this situation?
Stay safe! ~ Debb 🐝🐝
[1] A Category 5 hurricane is defined as having sustained windspeeds of at least 253 km/h over a one-minute period 10 m above the ground according to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
[2] Matthew Bloch, William B. Davis, Madison Dong, Judson Jones, John Keefe and Bea Malsky (2024) Map: Tracking Typhoon Yagi. New York Times. Updated Sep 9, 2024.
[3] https://al24news.com/en/typhoon-yagi-claims-220-lives-in-northern-vietnam-updated-toll/
[4] Ng, Kelly (2024) Thousands flee Vietnam floods after typhoon hits. BBC - Sep 11, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yk131xd4lo
[5] Thepgumpanat, Panarat and Setboonsarng, Chayut (2024) Flooding in Thailand maroons thousands in northern province. Reuters, Sep 12, 2024. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/flooding-thailand-maroons-thousands-northern-province-2024-09-12/
[6] The Nation (2024) Chiang Mai landslide kills six, injures three. Posted online Sep. 11, 2024. https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40041405
