An intense regional weather system, now identified as Typhoon Kalmaegi, made a destructive landfall in central Vietnam on Thursday, unleashing winds reaching 92 mph (149 km/h) before advancing inland toward Cambodia and Laos. The tropical storm arrived as Vietnam was still reeling from deadly record rainfall the previous week, prompting immediate and extensive government mobilization. As the region pivots from disaster preparation to recovery, initial reports indicate loss of life and significant infrastructure damage across multiple provinces, compounding what has been a devastating week for Southeast Asia.
Vietnam Authorities Mobilize Massive Emergency Response
Vietnam’s central government initiated a comprehensive emergency plan hours before the storm struck. Over 260,000 public servants, including military and emergency personnel, were deployed, supported by more than 6,700 vehicles and six aircraft, to manage the crisis. In anticipation of the storm’s fury, airports and major expressways were temporarily closed, and officials oversaw the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of residents from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas. The national weather service issued grave warnings forecasting extensive flooding and heightened landslide risks across seven key cities and provinces.
Landfall occurred at approximately 7:29 p.m. local time. Shortly afterward, urgent requests for aid began pouring in from areas like Dak Lak province, situated northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, where high winds and torrential rain led to homes being destroyed or inundated. Early local reports indicated that at least three fatalities occurred—one person died in a home collapse in Dak Lak, and two others lost their lives in Gia Lai province. While official government assessments of total casualties and economic losses are ongoing, extensive property destruction has been noted, particularly buildings stripped of their roofs, shattered storefront glass, and countless felled trees obstructing urban and rural thoroughfares.
Cleanup operations have already begun in severely affected coastal areas, including the vicinity of Quy Nhon beach, where hotels and commercial properties sustained immense damage. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held an urgent virtual meeting to ensure coordinated disaster relief efforts, emphasizing the critical need to deliver food, water, and essential supplies to communities that may have become temporarily isolated.
Regional Impact Exposes Vulnerabilities
Kalmaegi’s aggressive journey across the South China Sea followed catastrophic flooding in the Philippines earlier in the week, where the storm, locally named Tino, overwhelmed numerous towns. The devastation in the Philippines was marked by a staggering deluge, with some areas like the major tourism hub of Cebu receiving a month’s worth of rain in just 24 hours. Torrents swept vehicles through city streets, and landslides covered urban areas in mud and debris. The confirmed death toll in the Philippines has surpassed 114, with over 120 individuals still reported missing.
Following the extensive damage and loss of life, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of emergency to accelerate aid distribution and recovery. Many families remain sheltered in evacuation centers as floodwaters slowly recede, exposing the wreckage of poorly constructed homes built with lighter materials.
As the remnants of Kalmaegi track westward across mainland Southeast Asia, secondary impacts are now becoming a concern for neighboring nations. Thailand is preparing for potential flash floods, river overflows, and landslides. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, swollen rivers have already breached banks in major tourist destinations. Local residents in the UNESCO World Heritage towns of Hue and Hoi An have resorted to navigating flooded streets by boat after the Hoai River exceeded its capacity, underscoring the broad environmental and cultural impact of the severe weather systems targeting the region. Coordinated international and regional disaster relief efforts will be crucial as the affected nations transition into a prolonged recovery phase.