Super Typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm in Asia this year, has made landfall in northern Vietnam.
The Indo-Pacific Tropical Cyclone Warning Center said the storm hit Haiphong and Quang Ninh provinces on Saturday morning with winds of up to 203 km/h (126 mph).
In Haiphong, metal roof panels and business signs were seen flying across the city, AFP reported.
On Friday, Yagi struck Hainan Island, a popular tourist destination known as China’s Hawaii. At least three people died in China due to the storm and nearly 100 were injured.
Haiphong, a coastal city in northern Vietnam with a population of 2 million, bore the brunt of the storm.
Parts of the multinational factory site experienced power outages on Saturday, while four airports in the north were suspended for much of the day.
Nearly 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal towns in Vietnam, and authorities have issued warnings to stay indoors.
Schools have been closed in 12 northern provinces, including the capital Hanoi.
On Friday, China evacuated about 400,000 people from Hainan Island ahead of Yagi’s arrival. Trains, ships and flights were suspended, and schools were closed.
Local media reported that there was a widespread power outage, affecting approximately 830,000 households. Valuable crops were also destroyed.
Videos on Chinese social media showed windows being removed from high-rise buildings in Hainan.
A super typhoon is equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane.
Yagi is the second most powerful typhoon so far this year, having doubled in intensity since hitting the northern Philippines earlier this week.
Floods and landslides caused by Yagi killed at least 13 people in the northern Philippines and forced thousands to evacuate to safer places.
Scientists say typhoons and hurricanes are becoming stronger and more frequent as climate changes. Warmer waters mean storms absorb more energy, resulting in higher wind speeds.
A warmer atmosphere also holds more moisture, which can lead to more intense rainfall.
