Kathmandu, Sept 10: A busy bridge in northern Vietnam collapsed due to the impact of ‘Super Typhoon’ Yagi, causing several vehicles to plunge into the water, and leaving 13 people missing. The search for those missing continues.

Since the storm struck Vietnam on Saturday, more than 60 people have died.

Dashcam footage captured the collapse of the Phong Chau bridge in Phu Thok province on Monday. The typhoon, the most powerful to hit Vietnam in 30 years, has caused widespread destruction, leaving 1.5 million people without electricity in the northern regions.

Officials warn that Yagi, which is moving westward, could lead to more damage. The storm, with winds reaching speeds of 203 kilometers per hour, has injured over 240 people. It is considered the strongest typhoon to hit Asia this year.

When the Phong Chau bridge collapsed, 10 cars and two scooters fell into the Red River, according to Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Poch. A truck falling into the river as the bridge collapsed was also caught on camera.

So far, at least three people have been rescued from the river. Nguyen Minh Hai, a survivor, recounted his experience of falling while riding a motorcycle on the collapsing bridge. “I was terrified when I fell,” he said from the hospital. “I feel like I escaped death. I can’t swim, and thought I was going to die.”

Despite the collapse, part of the 375-meter bridge remains intact. The army has been instructed to build a temporary pontoon bridge to restore connectivity.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported that at least 44 of the fatalities were caused by landslides and flash floods, including a 68-year-old woman, a one-year-old child, and a newborn baby. The storm also caused extensive damage, destroying homes, uprooting trees, and damaging factories and infrastructure in northern Vietnam.

Photos from Reuters show a collapsed wall at an LG electronics factory in Hai Phong city. The AFP news agency reported that 2,400 families were evacuated in Yen Bai province due to rising floodwaters.

Approximately 50,000 people have been evacuated from coastal cities, with authorities advising residents to stay indoors. Schools have been temporarily closed in 12 northern provinces, including Hanoi.

The storm has also affected livelihoods, with restaurant owner Nong Thi Thom stating that she and others have lost everything. “I have nothing left,” she said. “I can only try to rise above this situation.”

Before striking Vietnam, Yagi killed 24 people in southern China and the Philippines. Although climate change may intensify typhoons, linking each storm directly to climate change remains complex.