Typhoon Kalmaegi hits central Vietnam with 149 km/h winds after killing 140 people in the Philippines, where a national calamity was declared
VIETNAM: Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall Thursday in Vietnam’s storm-battered central region, forcing thousands of evacuations.
The typhoon killed at least 140 people and left 127 missing in the Philippines earlier this week.
It struck central Vietnam with sustained winds of up to 149 kilometres per hour and even stronger gusts.
“The wind is so so strong, nothing can resist,” said Vu Van Hao, 48, surveying shattered hotel windows in Gia Lai province.
Central Vietnam was already reeling from over a week of flooding and record rains that killed 47 people.
“This is a huge typhoon with terrible devastating capacity,” said Pham Anh Tuan, a top provincial official in Gia Lai.
Over 7,000 people had been evacuated in Gia Lai alone by Wednesday night.
Officials knocked on doors in coastal areas warning residents to flee before the typhoon’s arrival.
Elderly women and children were among dozens sheltering at schools with mats and blankets.
“I am not young anymore and I don’t want to risk my life,” said Tran Thi Nghia, 56, who evacuated her home.
Kalmaegi is Vietnam’s 13th typhoon of 2025, exceeding the typical annual average of 10 storms.
In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos declared a “state of national calamity” on Thursday.
The declaration allows funding for aid and price controls on basic necessities.
More than 500,000 Filipinos remain displaced after unprecedented floodwaters swept through Cebu province.
Floodwaters carried away cars, riverside shanties, and massive shipping containers.
Vietnamese leader To Lam cut short a Communist Party session so officials could return to affected areas.
Some residents piled onto motorbikes with water and necessities before fleeing their homes.
Schools closed in multiple provinces and at least five airports were shuttered.
Heavy rains in late October submerged UNESCO-listed sites in Hue and Hoi An.
Up to 1.7 metres of rain fell over 24 hours, breaking national records.
Natural disasters have killed or left missing 279 people in Vietnam this year.
They have caused more than $2 billion in damage according to national statistics.
Scientific evidence shows climate change is making extreme weather more frequent and destructive. – AFP
