On Thursday night, Typhoon “Kalmaegi” made landfall in the central coastal regions of Vietnam, which have been ravaged by floods, bringing strong winds, heavy rain, and waves up to 10 meters high. Authorities urgently evacuated tens of thousands of people and hundreds of flights were forced to be canceled.
The Vietnamese Ministry of Environment stated that “Kalmaegi” landed in the vicinity of Qui Nhơn City in Binh Dinh Province on Thursday night, with an average wind speed of up to 149 kilometers per hour, and even stronger gusts. The typhoon caused extensive damage to Qui Nhơn and surrounding areas, with numerous trees and power poles knocked down, and the glass of many buildings shattered by debris carried by the strong winds. Additionally, the heavy rainfall brought by the typhoon has led to flooding in many coastal areas of Vietnam.
Over 260,000 people in Binh Dinh Province have been evacuated to safety, with more than 268,000 soldiers on standby to participate in rescue operations. Furthermore, authorities announced that schools in Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai provinces will be closed on Thursday and Friday, while six airports have temporarily shut down.
The central region of Vietnam has been experiencing record-breaking torrential rains for over a week, causing devastating floods that have claimed at least 47 lives and submerged many historic sites in water, only to be hit by the onslaught of the typhoon now.
“Kalmaegi” had previously caused catastrophic flooding in the Philippines before hitting Vietnam. According to the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, as of 6 a.m. on Friday, the typhoon had already caused at least 152 deaths, 86 people missing, and affected over 2.25 million people in the Philippines. President Marcos declared a national state of calamity. Meanwhile, a new typhoon named “Fung-wong” has formed and is predicted to enter the Philippine area of responsibility in the next few days, with authorities closely monitoring its path.