Search for Survivors Underway in Vietnam Following Landslides Caused by Typhoon Molave

Hundreds of troops, equipped with heavy equipment, have been deployed to the sites of the landslides in remote areas of Quang Nam province. The death toll currently stands at 19, with 48 people still missing. Initially, rescue efforts were impeded by bad weather conditions caused by the storm. Additionally, 12 fishermen were found dead at sea, while the navy is currently searching for another 14 individuals who went missing after their boats sank while attempting to come ashore two days prior. Since early October, Vietnam has been hit by a series of storms, resulting in at least 160 deaths and numerous people missing, primarily due to landslides. Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung stated that while the storm’s path and rainfall can be projected, the occurrence of landslides cannot be accurately predicted. In spite of the ongoing heavy rain and deep mud covering the roads, rescue work must be conducted swiftly. The storms have impacted over a million individuals, causing extensive flooding and severe damage to the central region of Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Molave hit the Philippines over the weekend, resulting in 16 deaths from mudslides and floods. The typhoon also caused significant destruction in Vietnam, damaging 56,000 homes and leaving millions without electricity. Heavy rain is expected to persist in the central region until Saturday. By Thursday afternoon, the typhoon had weakened to a tropical depression, and the skies over the most affected areas had cleared, facilitating rescue efforts. Social media images depict villages submerged in floodwaters and roads obstructed by debris, fallen trees, and landslides. The reporter for this article is Phuong Nguyen, with additional reporting from Neil Jerome Morales in Manila. The article was written by James Pearson and edited by Ed Davies and Martin Petty. The article originally appeared on Reuters.