At least five individuals lost their lives in Vietnam following the impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which brought destructive winds and heavy rainfall to coastal areas. The storm hit central Vietnam late on Thursday, causing damage to homes, uprooting trees, and leading to power outages before weakening as it moved inland.
Authorities have issued warnings of ongoing heavy rainfall reaching up to 200 millimeters in central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri. They also cautioned about rising river levels from Hue to Dak Lak, which could result in flooding and landslides.
In Gia Lai province, shrimp farm owner Nguyen Dinh Sa suffered significant losses due to the typhoon, with around six metric tons of shrimp being destroyed. The storm caused widespread devastation along the coast, toppling trees, shattering glass, and displacing roofing sheets, with residents relying on generators to recharge their phones.
Vietnam’s disaster management agency reported seven injuries and approximately 2,800 damaged homes, leaving 1.3 million people without electricity. The government mobilized over 268,000 soldiers for search-and-rescue missions and highlighted the potential impact of flooding on agriculture in the Central Highlands, a key coffee-producing region in Vietnam.
Meanwhile, in the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited evacuation centers in Cebu to distribute relief aid and assure victims of ongoing government support. Kalmaegi left 135 individuals missing and injured 96 others in the Philippines.
Typhoon Kalmaegi marks the 13th storm to form in the South China Sea this year. Both Vietnam and the Philippines are prone to tropical storms and typhoons due to their locations along the Pacific typhoon belt, resulting in frequent damage and casualties during peak storm seasons.
As a precautionary measure, the Philippines’ civil aviation regulator has heightened alert levels at all area centers and airports in anticipation of Typhoon Fung-wong, expected to intensify into a super typhoon before making landfall in the northern Philippines. The forecast predicts landfall in northern Aurora province, with potential effects on the densely populated capital region of Manila.
