Typhoon Bualoi leaves 9 dead, 17 missing in Vietnam before weakening over Laos
Typhoon Bualoi battered Vietnam’s central coast, leaving nine dead and 17 missing, damaging homes and crops before weakening as it moved into Laos.
- Typhoon Bualoi killed nine people in Vietnam, with victims drowning in floodwaters and being struck by falling trees.
- Seventeen fishermen are missing and unaccounted for after large waves struck two boats off the coast of Quang Tri province.
- The storm caused extensive damage, including to 245 houses and 1,400 hectares of crops, and forced the evacuation of over 28,500 residents.
- After hitting Vietnam, the typhoon weakened to a tropical storm as it moved inland over Laos, with its maximum wind speeds decreasing significantly.
Typhoon Bualoi battered Vietnam’s northern central coast on Monday, leaving nine people dead and 17 fishermen unaccounted for, before losing strength as it crossed into Laos. The storm unleashed torrential rains, floods, and waves up to eight metres high, damaging homes and power infrastructure, according to Vietnam’s national weather agency.
The disaster management authority reported that one victim in Hue city drowned in floodwaters, while another was killed by a falling tree in Thanh Hoa province. Seventeen fishermen went missing after towering waves struck two vessels off Quang Tri province, and contact was lost with another boat during the storm.
Residents described a night of fear as strong winds shook their homes. “This was one of the most powerful storms I’ve ever seen,” said Nguyen Tuan Vinh, 45, from Nghe An, as he cleared away debris. Neighbours told of staying awake all night to secure their houses, with electricity cut across entire buildings.
By late morning, the typhoon had weakened to tropical storm strength with maximum winds of 74 kph, down from 117 kph at landfall, as it moved into Laos. Authorities said 245 houses were damaged, 1,400 hectares of rice fields and crops were inundated, and several areas remained cut off.
Although no major industrial losses were reported, the storm swept through regions with significant manufacturing facilities, including plants operated by Foxconn, Luxshare, Formosa Plastics and Vinfast. Ahead of landfall, more than 28,500 people were evacuated, and four airports in central provinces were shut, grounding or delaying hundreds of flights.
The typhoon brought widespread heavy rainfall from Saturday, with forecasts warning of up to 500 millimetres in parts of the country through Tuesday, raising risks of flash floods and landslides.
Vietnam, with its long South China Sea coastline, is regularly hit by storms forming near the Philippines. Bualoi killed at least 10 people there last week before striking Vietnam.
Reuters
