Ragasa weakens but brings heavy rain and flood risk to northern Vietnam

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HANOI, Vietnam (AP) — Typhoon Ragasa weakened into a tropical depression early Thursday as it entered northeastern Vietnam, but it is still expected to bring heavy rains across the country’s northern provinces.

By Thursday afternoon, the typhoon’s sustained winds had weakened to a maximum 55 kph (34 mph) and Ragasa was forecast to dissipate eventually while remaining a rain threat for Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia.

Officials in Vietnam warned of possible flash floods, landslides and flooding in low-lying areas.

Vietnam’s Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính ordered government ministries and local authorities to protect infrastructure like dams and hospitals, secure fishing vessels and coastal assets, and ready evacuation and search and rescue operations. Some flights were canceled or rescheduled, and workers trimmed trees to avoid wind hazards in northern parts of the country.

The Southeast Asian country is also bracing for another storm, which is currently approaching the Philippines from the Pacific. The storm Bualoi, which was named Opong in the Philippines, was forecast to hit eastern and central Philippines on Friday. It had sustained winds of up to 110 kph (68 mph) and higher gusts, government forecasters said.

Vietnam expects it to intensify afterward and officials said it could make landfall near central Vietnam or veer toward the northeast coast.

Ragasa entered Vietnam after flooding streets and homes in the economic hub of Guangdong province and causing deaths in Taiwan and the Philippines earlier in the week.

It quickly weakened Thursday because dry, cold air from the north and its contact with land in China cut off the warm, moist air from the sea that fuels such storms.

In the Guangdong city of Yangjiang, over 10,000 trees were damaged and branches floated in submerged streets. Crews used excavators to clear toppled trees and worked to clear blocked roads, Yangjiang Daily reported.

Nearly half a million households suffered power outages and more than a third of those homes remained without electricity Thursday morning, the newspaper reported.

Streets in the city of Zhuhai turned into rivers and rescuers used inflatable boats to rescue stranded residents. Water inundated the ground floors of homes in older neighborhoods, Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

Communication with people on some islands in Jiangmen city were cut off, Southern Weekly newspaper said.

To the west in Guangxi region, schools and businesses were closed and tourism activities halted in some cities.

More than 2 million people were relocated across Guangdong ahead of Ragasa, which peaked at supertyphoon strength Monday with maximum sustained winds of 265 kph (165 mph) and the world’s strongest cyclone of the year.

For Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, activities halted earlier in the week were gradually returning to normal.

Flights in Hong Kong resumed after some 1,000 had been disrupted, affecting about 140,000 passengers. Businesses reopened Thursday. But some big fallen branches remained scattered on the streets after more than 1,200 trees across the city were topped by the fierce winds. Some 100 injured people were sent to the hospital.

In Taiwan, authorities on Thursday revised the death toll from 17 to 14, citing double-counting. The victims were in eastern Hualien County, where heavy rain caused a barrier lake to overflow, sending water gushing into nearby Guangfu township. Muddy torrents destroyed a bridge, turning the roads in the township into churning rivers that carried vehicles and furniture away. Some people remained out of contact in Hualien, and dozens were injured across the island.

During a visit to the county, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te expressed condolences over the loss of lives, saying the government would do its utmost to help Hualien return to normal life.

In the Philippines, Ragasa left at least 11 dead, including seven fishermen who drowned Monday when their boat overturned in northern Cagayan province. Two fishermen remained missing Thursday.

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Leung reported from Hong Kong. Jim Gomez in Manila, Philippines and Johnson Lai in Taipei, Taiwan contributed to this report.