Nghe An/Hanoi: Typhoon Bualoi swept across Vietnam’s central coast on Monday, killing eight people and leaving 17 others missing. The storm caused widespread damage, knocking out power, flooding roads, and destroying houses before weakening as it moved toward Laos, according to the national weather agency.
Impact on coastal provinces
Bualoi made landfall early Monday along northern central Vietnam, generating waves as high as eight metres. Seventeen fishermen went missing after huge waves hit two fishing boats off Quang Tri province, while another fishing vessel lost contact during the storm, the government’s disaster management agency reported.
Residents described harrowing nights. Ho Van Quynh from Nghe An said, “I stayed awake the whole night fearing the door would be pulled off by strong winds.” Neighbour Nguyen Tuan Vinh, 45, added, “I’ve witnessed many storms, and this is one of the strongest.”
Strong winds also killed eight people and injured seven others in Ninh Binh province. Additional fatalities included one person caught in floodwater in Hue city and another struck by a falling tree in Thanh Hoa province.
Damage to property and agriculture
Bualoi damaged 245 houses, inundated nearly 1,400 hectares of rice and other crops, and cut off access to several areas. While industrial properties largely avoided major damage, some large factories, including Foxconn, Luxshare, Formosa Plastics, and Vinfast, are located near the typhoon’s path.
Evacuations and transport disruptions
Prior to the storm’s arrival, Vietnamese authorities evacuated over 28,500 people. Hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed as four airports in central provinces were temporarily closed.
The cyclone brought heavy rainfall across most of Vietnam starting Saturday, raising the risk of floods and landslides. The weather agency forecasted up to 500 millimetres of rain from Sunday night through Tuesday.
Typhoon weakening and movement
By 11:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT), Bualoi had weakened as it moved over Nghe An province into Laos, with maximum wind speeds dropping to 74 kph (46 mph) from 117 kph at landfall.
Vietnam’s long coastline along the South China Sea makes the country vulnerable to typhoons, many of which form east of the Philippines. Last week, Bualoi also caused at least 10 deaths in the Philippines.
Conclusion
Typhoon Bualoi has caused significant loss of life and property along Vietnam’s central coast, highlighting the country’s vulnerability to tropical storms. Authorities continue rescue operations and are monitoring rivers and landslide-prone areas as the storm moves inland toward Laos.