The national meteorological service reported that Typhoon Bualoi generated waves reaching up to 8 meters during the early hours of Monday.
Typhoon Bualoi struck Vietnam with intense rainfall and powerful winds, resulting in multiple fatalities and leaving 17 individuals unaccounted for. The storm ravaged local communities, inundated roadways, and caused significant structural damage to homes.
Making landfall in the early morning, the typhoon produced towering waves as high as 26 feet, as confirmed by the country’s weather authorities.
According to Vietnam’s disaster response agency, as cited by Reuters, two people lost their lives due to the severe weather conditions: one drowned in floodwaters in Hue City, and another was fatally injured by a falling tree in Thanh Hoa province.
The Associated Press provided a grimmer update, reporting a total of nine deaths linked to the storm, including the two previously mentioned. In Ninh Binh province, six fatalities occurred when strong gusts caused houses to collapse, while an additional death was recorded in Danang.
In Quang Tri province, fierce winds snapped the mooring lines of a fishing vessel seeking refuge, leaving nine crew members stranded at sea. Four of them managed to swim back to shore. Meanwhile, in Gia Lai province, families reported losing communication with eight fishermen who were out at sea.
State-run media reported that over 347,000 households experienced power outages prior to the typhoon’s arrival shortly after midnight on Sunday.
Nguyen Tuan Vinh, a resident of Nghe An province engaged in clearing debris, described the storm as “one of the most intense” he has ever witnessed. Another local, Ho Van Quynh, shared with Reuters that they remained vigilant throughout the night to safeguard their home, stating, “I stayed awake all night, worried the strong winds would tear the door off.”
In preparation for the typhoon, Vietnamese authorities evacuated more than 28,500 residents. Additionally, the closure of four airports in central provinces led to the cancellation or delay of hundreds of flights.
By 11 a.m. local time (04:00 GMT), Typhoon Bualoi had progressed into Nghe An province and was moving toward Laos.
Since Friday, the storm has already claimed at least 20 lives in the Philippines, primarily due to drowning and injuries from falling trees, according to official reports.
Bualoi marks the second major tropical cyclone to impact Asia within a week, following Typhoon Ragasa, which affected northern Philippines and Taiwan before making landfall in China, where it caused at least 28 fatalities.
