Report Vietnamese Village Rebuilds After Typhoon Yagi's Devastation

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In the wake of Typhoon Yagi’s devastating impact, survivors from the wiped-out village of Lang Nu in Vietnam's Lao Cai Province are rebuilding their lives in a new community designed to withstand future climate disasters. This relocation comes after a catastrophic landslide last September, triggered by Yagi's heavy rains, destroyed their homes and claimed the lives of at least 320 people across Vietnam.

 

Nguyen Thi Kim, a resident who lost 14 family members, recalls the horror of being engulfed in a wave of mud with her young daughter. "I still cannot talk about it without crying," she says, reflecting on the ordeal. The storm, the strongest to hit Vietnam in decades, underscores the increasing intensity of typhoons owing to climate change, which affects storm patterns by making the atmosphere and oceans warmer.

 

The new settlement, located two kilometers from the original site, offers sturdier concrete homes and improved infrastructure aimed at minimizing landslide risks. The move represents a significant adjustment for residents like Hoang Thi Bay, who now live in modern stilt houses with reinforced steel beams. Despite missing their traditional timber homes and farmlands, the survivors acknowledge the necessity of change to ensure safety.

 

 

 

The relocation effort is led by local authorities and experts like Tran Thanh Hai, who emphasize the importance of selecting a site based on elevation and slope gradient to mitigate future geological threats. The community is further protected by a simple yet effective drainage system, directing water away from slopes to reduce soil saturation and landslip chances.

 

However, experts caution that new developments such as roads, loss of forest cover, or nearby construction could still introduce instability. Restoring protective forest cover, particularly dense primary rainforest, remains crucial for long-term stability.

 

For Nguyen Thi Kim and her fellow survivors, leaving their ancestral land was painful, yet they are grateful for the opportunity to start anew. "I believe this is the safest ground for us," Kim asserts, embracing the hope of a more secure future amidst the lingering shadows of past trauma.

 

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from VN News 2025-04-23