A Storm of Destruction
On September 8, Typhoon Yagi made landfall in Vietnam from the South China Sea, sweeping across Southeast Asia and leaving a trail of devastation in Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. The storm claimed over 300 lives, submerged millions of homes, and destroyed critical infrastructure. Rivers overflowed, and the affected areas were left in ruins.
Massive Evacuations and Rescue Efforts
In Thailand and Myanmar, hundreds of thousands of disaster survivors fled their flooded homes. Vietnam’s emergency rescue teams worked tirelessly to search for missing persons. As of September 14, Vietnam reported 76 missing individuals and a staggering 276 deaths. The typhoon damaged over 136,000 houses and submerged more than 202,000 hectares of rice fields in Vietnam.
Record-Breaking Flood Levels
Continuous heavy rains caused the Red River in Hanoi to reach its highest level in 16 years, while the water levels in Yen Bai Province’s rivers hit a 56-year high. The Vietnamese government plans to distribute rice and transport relief supplies to disaster areas for free. The international community, including the United Nations, sent 8 million water purification tablets and other supplies to show their support. Tzu Chi’s contact points in Hanoi and Hai Duong immediately expressed their willingness to assist in disaster relief to the government. Government officials have responded positively, indicating a desire for more detailed information and hoping for mid- to long-term assistance.
Tragic Loss in Northern Thailand
Northern Thailand also suffered severe damage from Typhoon Yagi. On September 12, satellite images captured the flooded areas in Chiang Rai and Chiang Mai provinces, covering over 13,970 hectares. Chiang Mai Tzu Chi School Principal Nontaphat went to visit students affected by the flood as soon as the water receded.
Tzu Chi’s Immediate Response
On September 12, Tzu Chi volunteer teams visited the hardest-hit village of Dulian in Chiang Mai Province, providing care and distributing condolence money to the affected villagers. The local residents, who rely on growing corn and oranges for their livelihood, saw many of their orchards washed away. They will need medium to long-term assistance to restore their means of living. The 42-year-old village chief of Dulian, who went out to inspect the disaster, tragically lost his life in a landslide, leaving behind three young children. Principal Wen-Xian Yin visited the family to offer support and encouraged the siblings to study hard and apply for Tzu Chi School scholarships to ease their financial burden.
Continued Support in Northern Thailand
On September 13, Tzu Chi volunteers also visited the village of Meithle in northern Thailand to distribute cash relief to villagers whose homes were damaged and to understand their ongoing needs for assistance.
On September 18, 2024, Tzu Chi Foundation arrived in Chiang Rai with a team of 28 dedicated volunteers and staff, including Tzu Chi volunteers, staff members, social workers, and local youth volunteers. They entered the area to assess the disaster and prepare for the distribution of relief supplies. Despite the muddy and still flooded roads, the volunteers persevered through numerous obstacles to deliver the much-needed supplies to the affected people in Rimkok Subdistrict and Mae Sai District. With unwavering determination, they distributed a total of 500 sets of emergency relief supplies to the survivors. Ongoing assistance such as providing financial aid for those severely affected in terms of housing is also being considered.
