Typhoon Bualoi brought heavy rainfall and strong winds to central Vietnam, leading to flooding, roof damage, and at least 12 fatalities before weakening into a tropical storm as it moved into Laos on Monday, as reported by state media.
The storm caused havoc in communities, resulting in house destruction, school damage, power pole collapses, bridge sweeps, and road flooding across various provinces. Cities experienced vehicle submersion, while highland areas faced isolation.
Rescue operations were underway for 17 missing fishermen, according to state media.
By midmorning, the storm’s center was situated over Nghe An province’s border with Laos, with wind speeds of 74 km/h. Later in the day, it progressed further into Laos and downgraded to a tropical depression, with winds ranging from 39 to 61 km/h, as per the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
Prior to the storm’s impact, Vietnamese authorities had enforced measures such as grounding fishing boats and halting operations at four coastal airports. Ninh Binh province reported nine fatalities due to strong winds causing house collapses.
In Thanh Hoa province, a local official named Nguyen Ngoc Hung lost his life when a tree fell on him during storm preparations. Another fatality occurred in Hue City from floodwaters, and one more in Danang.
Cleanup efforts were underway in the Vietnamese city of Ha Tinh on Monday after damaging winds from Typhoon Bualoi ripped through the area.
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Strong winds in Quang Tri province caused a fishing boat to drift after breaking anchor ropes, leading to nine crew members adrift. In Gia Lai province, families lost contact with eight fishermen during a fishing trip.
Over 347,000 households experienced power outages before the typhoon’s landfall post-midnight on Sunday. The storm’s strong gusts damaged homes’ corrugated iron roofs and toppled concrete pillars along highways.
Residents in Phong Nha experienced severe wind gusts and heavy rain, with one resident stating that “No one dares to go out” due to the extreme weather conditions.
Prior to landfall, Vietnam evacuated thousands from central and northern provinces as the typhoon arrived earlier than expected, hitting Ha Tinh province with strong winds, surges, and heavy rainfall.
Before reaching Vietnam, Bualoi had claimed 20
