Aftermath of Typhoon Matmo: Devastation and Recovery in Northern Vietnam

By VNA/The Investor
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025 | 1:20 PM GMT+7

The recent downpours in northern Vietnam, brought on by Typhoon Matmo, have left a trail of destruction across multiple provinces. Tragically, at least 18 individuals are reported dead or missing, hundreds of thousands of homes have been submerged, and critical infrastructure has incurred severe damage.

As of Friday afternoon, the disaster has led to preliminary evaluations indicating financial losses exceeding VND 5.45 trillion (approximately $207 million). The province of Thai Nguyen has been hit the hardest, bearing around VND 2.4 trillion in damages. Other significantly affected areas include Cao Bang, with losses totaling VND 2 trillion, and Lang Son, as damages reached VND 1.05 trillion.

Extent of Damage

Floodwaters have swallowed more than 230,000 homes, a number that highlights the scale of this natural disaster. Thai Nguyen alone accounts for 200,000 submerged homes. Other provinces like Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, and Lang Son have also seen significant flooding, while the capital city, Hanoi, has reported over 8,000 homes affected. Impressively, as of Friday afternoon, nearly 66,650 homes remain underwater, predominantly in Thai Nguyen.

The agricultural sector has not been spared; approximately 25,261 hectares of rice and other crops were either inundated or destroyed. This flood has dire consequences for local economies, resulting in the loss of over 13,000 livestock and more than 690,000 poultry.

Infrastructure Challenges

In Lang Son, the situation worsened when the Bac Khe 1 hydropower dam in Tan Tien commune broke due to rising water levels. Fortunately, timely warnings allowed for the safe evacuation of 803 households before the disaster unfolded, preventing potential loss of life.

The dyke systems have faced severe strain as well, with 49 incidents recorded across Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, and Hanoi—a worrying increase from previous counts. In Bac Ninh, 40 incidents alone were reported, signaling an urgent need for structural reassessment.

Transport infrastructure has also taken a hit, with 20 points of national highways experiencing erosion or flooding, resulting in significant traffic disruptions. Thai Nguyen reported eight impacted sites, alongside four each in Hanoi and Bac Ninh. Moreover, the Hanoi-Dong Dang railway was temporarily suspended, and various rural roads became inaccessible, complicating rescue operations and the distribution of essential supplies.

Energy and Communication Outages

The impacts extend to the power and telecommunications sectors, where nearly 550,000 customers across Thai Nguyen, Bac Ninh, Cao Bang, and Lang Son faced outages. Thankfully, power has been restored to approximately 421,000 customers; however, around 128,600 are still without electricity, a staggering 58,000 of whom are in Thai Nguyen.

Local telecommunication networks have also endured disruptions, evidenced by 125 base transceiver stations (BTS) being down in Thai Nguyen, though services at 13 BTS points in Hanoi have since resumed.

Recovery Efforts

Local authorities are diligently working to assess the full extent of the damage and mobilize resources to assist affected communities. Emergency teams are coordinating efforts to provide immediate relief and support long-term recovery and reconstruction initiatives. The road ahead remains challenging, but the resilience of the Vietnamese people often shines brightest in trying times.

As the recovery progresses, the focus will remain on rebuilding not just homes but the spirits and lives of those impacted by this disaster.