Tornado injures 1, tree collapse kills another in northern Vietnam

Severe thunderstorms swept across northern Vietnam in the morning.

Tran Tuan Anh, chairman of Lap Thach Commune in Phu Tho Province, confirmed that the tornado occurred around 8:00 am.

The tornado moved across many areas, flattening trees and damaging homes along its path, with many roofs torn off in its wake.

“One person was injured by the tornado,” said the commune chairman, adding that the victim was taken to hospital shortly after the incident.

The patient sustained head injuries requiring two stitches and has since stabilized.

One local recalled that the sky darkened unusually early in the morning, with solar-powered lights switching on as the tornado approached.

The tornado lasted only a few minutes, but caused widespread destruction.

Structures in the direct path of the tornado suffered severe damage, including the community building whose metal roofing was torn away and carried over distances.

Several homes reported missing roofing.

In neighboring Thai Nguyen Province, heavy rain, paired with thunderstorms and strong winds, caused a tree to fall, killing a 60-year-old woman identified as Pham Thi S. on Friday morning.

Local officials are continuing to assess damage across affected areas.

Meteorological authorities attributed the unstable weather to a weak cold air mass combined with upper-level wind convergence, which triggered widespread thunderstorm development across northern localities, including Lao Cai, Phu Tho, Tuyen Quang, Thai Nguyen, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong.

Several areas experienced darkened skies and heavy rainfall during the morning hours.