India launches Operation Sadbhav as Typhoon Yagi wreaks havoc in Southeast Asia
India on Sunday launched Operation Sadbhav to send urgent supplies to Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar – the countries devastated by Typhoon Yagi that has claimed more than 200 lives so far. The three countries have been reeling under heavy floods after the Typhoon made landfall over a week ago.
The typhoon first made landfall in the Philippines, where it claimed the lives of over a dozen people. After striking the Philippines, Yagi continued its westward journey, impacting southern China before affecting parts of Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos.
Here are top 10 updates related to Typhoon Yagi
1. Yagi was the strongest typhoon to hit the Southeast Asian region in decades. It made landfall in Philippines with winds of up to 149 kph (92 mph). Despite weakening on Sunday, downpours continued, and rivers continue to flow at dangerously high-water levels.
2. India has sent humanitarian relief assistance worth USD 10,00,000 to Vietnam and USD 1,00,000 to Laos. A C-17 military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force transported 10 tonnes of relief materials to Laos, while 35 tonnes of aid is being sent to Vietnam.
3. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had conveyed sympathies and solidarity to the Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chinh, immediately after the typhoon struck the country. EAM Jaishankar had also extended sympathies to deputy prime minister and foreign minister of Vietnam, Bui Thanh Son.
4. The Indian Navy launched its rapid preparations to deploy HADR operations in Myanmar’s Yangon. Eastern Naval Command successfully completed the overnight loading of HADR pallets, including drinking water, ration and medicines, onto an Indian naval warship from Visakhapatnam for operations in Yangon.
5. Myanmar’s military government announced that the death toll has reached 74 and more than 89 are still feared to be missing. The typhoon has displaced almost 2,40,000 people, in addition to 3.4 million citizens already displaced by the ongoing civil war in the country.
6. Death toll in Vietnam reached at least 226 due to landslides and floods triggered by the Typhoon. Factories and other infrastructure across the country reported extensive damage.
7. A flash flood swept away an entire hamlet in northern Vietnam, killing 30 people. The country’s public broadcaster said flood water gushing down from a mountain in Lao Cai province buried Lang Nu hamlet with 35 families in mud and debris.
8. Thailand’s northern Chiang Rai province reported severe flooding. Many riverside villages were submerged complicating rescue operations.
9. Authorities across three countries have warned residents to remain cautious, as weather forecasts predict continued heavy rainfall. Emergency teams remain on high alert, and the government is coordinating efforts to ensure swift rescue operations.
10. Experts have long warned that rising ocean temperatures are leading to more intense and destructive storms. The ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for global climate action and support for the most affected regions.