Typhoon Yagi Diary by Huyen Trang - A Message from the Landslide Hotspot in Yen Bai
Suddenly, the earth collapsed with a noise like a bomb exploding. People had no time to think, they had to run for their lives. After that terrifying night, everyone became haunted by heavy rain.
- English
- Tiếng Việt
My name is Le Huyen Trang, 21 years old, currently living in Yen Bai province.
Yen Bai is known as a "hotspot" for landslides and flash floods. Since I was little, whenever there were forecasts of heavy, prolonged rain, my family and the residents living near slopes, riverbanks, and levees would prepare for unexpected situations. Whenever it rained heavily for 1-2 weeks, my parents would take my siblings and me to stay with relatives.
However, the historic typhoon Yagi still caused severe damage to Yen Bai in general and my family in particular. Before the typhoon hit, we managed to evacuate to a relative's house. By that evening, red soil began to flow down, and the smell of earth filled the neighborhood. Neighbors and local authorities warned us; if the rain didn't stop, evacuation was necessary due to the high danger level. By nightfall, everyone sat outside their doors, too afraid to sleep. Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and the earth collapsed again, sounding like a bomb going off, enveloping the entire neighborhood in dust. People ran without thinking, not daring to look back to see how far the landslide had gone or if it had affected their homes—only knowing they had to escape for their lives. After that horrifying night, everyone became anxious whenever it rained heavily.
The landslide caused by Typhoon Yagi completely destroyed our two houses, which had been our family’s refuge for many years. The overall situation at that time was either flooding or landslides, and the entire city was without power, creating an overwhelming sense of helplessness.
The once lovely and peaceful small town now lacked vitality, as earth, mud, dust, and debris filled the streets. As soon as the waters receded, young people and I quickly returned to help our families and neighbors clean up our houses and streets. In addition, young people in Yen Bai called on the community to support with cleaning tools and equipment, actively assisting in the recovery efforts after the typhoon.
Even though it was forecasted, we could never imagine the extent of the devastation that such a natural disaster could cause. I hope that each of us will make even a small effort in environmental action to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. At the same time, I hope everyone remains vigilant regarding storm forecasts, heavy rains, and can soon stabilize their lives after this historic typhoon.
