Hanoi
Typhoon Wutip, the first typhoon of the year, struck central Vietnam with heavy rains and strong winds, leading to severe flooding. Local media confirmed on Saturday that three people have died—two in Trieu Phong district during flood control efforts and one in Hai Lang district due to drowning. In nearby Quang Binh province, four individuals remain missing as rescue operations continue under better weather.
The floods submerged over 21,000 hectares of rice paddies and damaged vegetable farms, fish ponds, and poultry stocks. Homes were inundated, traffic disrupted, and people evacuated in both lowland and mountainous regions, although river levels are now beginning to recede.
After affecting Vietnam, Typhoon Wutip made its second landfall near Leizhou City in China’s Guangdong province early Saturday. By then, it had weakened into a severe tropical storm with wind speeds of 30 metres per second and a central pressure of 980 hectopascals. The typhoon first struck Dongfang City in Hainan province late Friday night.
The storm is moving northeast at 20–25 km/h and is expected to weaken further as it nears the Guangdong–Guangxi border. China responded by evacuating over 16,000 people from at-risk areas. Around 30,000 fishing vessels sought shelter, and over 40,000 workers were brought ashore for safety.
Wutip formed over the South China Sea on Wednesday, according to China’s meteorological agency. The storm adds to a series of extreme weather events China has experienced in recent summers, including heatwaves, droughts, and widespread flooding.