At least five individuals lost their lives in Vietnam following the onslaught of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which battered coastal areas with strong winds and heavy rainfall. The storm, which had previously caused significant fatalities in the Philippines, hit central Vietnam on Thursday night, resulting in uprooted trees, damaged homes, and power outages before weakening as it moved inland.
Authorities issued warnings about ongoing heavy rainfall of up to 200 millimeters in central provinces from Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, with concerns over rising river levels from Hue to Dak Lak that could lead to flooding and landslides. In Gia Lai province, shrimp farm owner Nguyen Dinh Sa faced significant losses, with around six metric tons of shrimp destroyed due to the typhoon’s impact.
The destructive aftermath of the typhoon included uprooted trees, shattered glass, and damaged roofing sheets along the coast, leaving residents reliant on generators to recharge their devices. Vietnam’s disaster management agency reported seven injuries and approximately 2,800 damaged homes, with 1.3 million people left without electricity.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines visited evacuation centers in Cebu to offer relief aid and assure victims of continued government assistance following Kalmaegi’s devastation, which left 135 individuals missing and injured 96 others. Kalmaegi marked the 13th typhoon to develop in the South China Sea this year, underscoring the vulnerability of Vietnam and the Philippines to tropical storms and typhoons due to their geographical locations along the Pacific typhoon belt.
As preparations are underway for another typhoon, Fung-wong, expected to intensify into a super typhoon before hitting the northern Philippines, authorities have heightened alert levels at area centers and airports. The forecast indicates a potential landfall in northern Aurora province, with implications for the densely populated capital region of Manila.