In Vietnam, the village of Nguyen Thi Kim, which was engulfed by a landslide during Typhoon Yagi in September 2024, has been rebuilt two kilometers away, this time with concrete and drainage channels, in the hope of being able to better withstand future extreme rains.
"The disaster was too much for all of us," recalls the 28-year-old, who lost 14 family members in the disaster. "I still can't talk about it without crying. I can't forget."
Typhoon Yagi, the most powerful to hit Vietnam in decades, caused flooding and landslides across an area stretching from the seaside capital Hanoi to Myanmar, hundreds of kilometers away.
At least 320 people have died in Vietnam, including 67 in the village of Lang Nu, where Nguyen Thi Kim lived, in the remote, mountainous province of Lao Cai (north).
More than six months after the disaster, the young woman still has painful memories of the moment a torrent of mud swept her away with her two-year-old daughter. They were rescued several hours later.
Today, she resides with about 70 other survivors at a newly constructed site, which benefits from a topography that poses less risk in the event of further extreme weather.
Researchers have shown that, as a result of climate change, cyclones have become more powerful and more devastating among populations that are often vulnerable and ill-prepared.
Solid houses
Warmer ocean surfaces fuel tropical storms, accelerating the strength of destructive winds at landfall and the intensity of severe weather.
In December, the new village of Lang Nu, built two kilometers from its original site, had 40 houses made of concrete, not wood as is traditional in the region.
The site was chosen for its elevation and less steep slope which should limit the impact of nearby waterways.
The area is safe "to the best of our knowledge and understanding," says Tran Thanh Hai, rector of the Hanoi University of Geology and Mining.
"It is very difficult to predict safety in geology with absolute certainty," he emphasizes.
A network of drainage channels helps prevent water saturation of the site and reduce the risk of landslides, scientists who worked on the project explained to AFP.
Nguyen Thi Kim didn't hesitate to abandon the traditional wooden style of her community's houses. "We want to respect our traditions, but if it's no longer safe, we have to change," she says.
Steel beams support Hoang Thi Bay's house, which has a roof made of corrugated iron rather than palm leaves as before.
The 41-year-old woman survived the landslide by clinging to the only concrete pillar of her former home.
"I still wake up in the middle of the night going over what happened," she explains.
"Our old house was bigger and prettier, with gardens and fields. But sleeping here in the new house makes me feel safer," she continues.
But zero risk does not exist, experts warn.
Risks
The slope of the site may change depending on the development of the village, recalls Tran Thanh Hai, who warns of the risks linked to the construction of dams or reservoirs in the region which can modify the circulation of water.
Building more houses or new roads, and clearing forests can also promote landslides, according to Do Minh Duc, a professor at the Institute of Geotechnics and Environment at Vietnam National University in Hanoi.
Typhoon Yagi destroyed vast mature natural forests in Lao Cai, and although private companies have donated trees for planting, it is unclear whether they can provide sufficient protection.
"In terms of landslide prevention, the only forest that can have good effects is tropical rainforest with a very high tree density, called primary forest," explains Duc, who was also involved in choosing the new site.
For Nguyen Thi Kim, leaving the land where her family had lived for nearly 50 years was difficult. But she is grateful that she and other villagers have been given a new opportunity.
"I think this is the safest ground for us," she said.
The publication of this report coincides with the Covering Climate Now initiative's "89 Percent Project," which aims to highlight that a large majority of people around the world want more climate action.
