Typhoon Bualoi Ravages Vietnam, Killing 19, Flooding Thousands

Typhoon Bualoi Ravages Vietnam, Killing 19, Flooding Thousands

Typhoon Bualoi swept across central Vietnam on Tuesday, leaving widespread flooding, killing 19 people, and causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and farmland.

The storm made landfall late Sunday, bringing winds of 130 km/h (80 mph) and lingering over land for nearly 12 hours—a rare duration for typhoons, according to Mai Van Khiem, head of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

“This was the tenth typhoon to hit Vietnam this year and a major natural disaster, with strong winds, flash floods, and widespread inundation,” Khiem said.

Authorities reported more than 80 injuries, and search operations continued for 21 missing individuals, including fishermen swept away by strong currents.

Over 100,000 homes were damaged, and around 2,700 families were stranded in Ha Tinh province. “I have not experienced such a strong typhoon in decades,” said Le Hong Luyen, 62, from Nghe An province. “My house and garden are completely flooded.”

The storm destroyed 225 square kilometres of rice and other crops, uprooted over 10,000 trees, and downed power lines, causing outages across several central regions. Authorities issued alerts for rising river levels and potential landslides in mountainous areas.

Vietnam typically faces up to 10 storms a year, with forecasters warning of two to three more before year-end. Experts say human-driven climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, making typhoons increasingly destructive.

From January to August, storms caused $371 million in damage—three times last year’s figure. Last September, Typhoon Yagi killed hundreds and inflicted $3.3 billion in losses.

The capital, Hanoi, also experienced heavy rain and flooding, disrupting traffic. “Floodwater almost reached the top of my motorbike, and I couldn’t reach my office,” said resident Tran Thanh Huong.

Bualoi had previously battered central Philippine islands, killing 27 people and forcing 400,000 to evacuate.