Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall in Vietnam on Thursday, leading to the suspension of numerous flights and issuing a directive for residents to remain indoors. This occurred following the storm’s earlier passage through the Philippines, resulting in a death toll of at least 114 individuals.
With wind speeds reaching up to 149 kilometers per hour, as reported by the national weather service, Kalmaegi caused significant damage including roof destruction, fallen trees, and telegraph poles, along with waves surging as high as 10 meters along the central coast.
In response, authorities closed six airports and relocated over 260,000 people in Gia Lai province to safe areas. This storm marks the 13th to hit Vietnam this year, ranking among the most potent.
The government mobilized more than 268,000 soldiers for potential search and rescue operations and warned about the risk of floods in low-lying regions, affecting agriculture, notably in the Central Highlands, a key coffee production area.
Prior to Kalmaegi’s arrival, precautions were taken, such as the closure of establishments and homes along Cua Dai beach near Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage site. Meanwhile, farmers near Hue were still reeling from recent floods that claimed 47 lives.
Nguyen Van Rin, a 42-year-old rice farmer, expressed concerns over the forthcoming flooding, having already lost livestock and poultry in previous inundations. The storm’s impact is expected to compound existing hardships for many in the region.
In light of the approaching storm, Vietnam’s aviation sector anticipated disruptions at eight airports, including Da Nang International Airport, urging airlines and local authorities to closely monitor the situation to ensure passenger safety.
Meanwhile, the ancient town of Hoi An and the neighboring city of Hue were in the process of recovering from recent flooding that resulted in 35 fatalities.
In the Philippines, where Kalmaegi wreaked havoc, nearly two million individuals were affected, with over 560,000 people displaced, including around 450,000 evacuated to emergency shelters. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency in response to the crisis.
In Cebu, one of the hardest-hit areas in the Philippines, the aftermath revealed extensive destruction, prompting residents to begin the challenging cleanup process, while civil defense officials emphasized the urgent need for debris removal to facilitate relief operations.
As residents faced the ruins left by Kalmaegi, the Philippines remained vigilant as meteorologists tracked a new storm forming east of Mindanao, potentially intensifying into another typhoon. This follows a series of recent natural disasters, including the devastating earthquake in northern Cebu.