Vietnam has closed airports and evacuated thousands of people in areas under storm threat, as intensifying Typhoon Bualoi barrelled towards the country, days after causing at least 10 deaths and widespread flooding in the Philippines.
The typhoon was generating winds of up to 133 kph on Sunday and was forecast to make landfall in central Vietnam early on Monday morning local time, slowing as it nears the coast, state-run Thanh Nien newspaper reported.
Vietnam’s weather agency said Bualoi was expected to make landfall between the Quang Tri and Nghe An provinces.
“This is a rapidly moving storm — nearly twice the average speed — with strong intensity and a broad area of impact,” the national weather forecast agency said.
“It is capable of triggering multiple natural disasters simultaneously, including powerful winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, flash floods, landslides, and coastal inundation.”
Northern and central provinces may see up to 600mm of rain in the coming days, with rivers rising by nine metres and risks of flooding and landslides, it said.
Authorities in the central province of Ha Tinh have started to evacuate more than 15,000 people, the government said, adding thousands of troops were standing ready.
Tropical Storm Bualoi sweeps through Philippines leaving 10 dead
Residents in Vinh, the capital of the Nghe An province, near where the typhoon is expected to make landfall, were rushing to secure homes, tie down boats, and stack sandbags or water-filled sacks on rooftops.
“We already suffered from losses from recent Typhoon Kajiki this year and haven’t recovered yet,” resident Bui Thi Tuyet said.
“Over the last 20 years living here, I have not felt this terrified because of storms.”
Vietnam suspended operations at four coastal airports from Sunday, including Da Nang International Airport, the Civil Aviation Authority said.
Heavy rain has already caused flooding in Hue and Quang Tri, the government said.
Boats are moved off the beach in Da Nang in preparation for Typhoon Bualoi. (AP: Trinh Quoc Dung/VNA)
With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that are often deadly.
Last year, Typhoon Yagi killed around 300 people and caused $US3.3 billion ($5.04b) of property damage.
Authorities grounded fishing boats in northern and central regions and ordered evacuations.
Preparing to move to safer ground
State media reported that authorities in Da Nang planned to relocate more than 210,000 people, while in Hue more than 32,000 coastal residents were preparing to move to safer ground.
Heavy rains drenched central provinces since Saturday night.
In Hue, floods swamped low-lying streets, storms ripped off roofs and at least one person was reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters.
In neighbouring Quang Tri province, a fishing boat sank and another was stranded while seeking shelter.
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Eight people were rescued while efforts were underway to reach three others at sea, state media said.
Forecasters warned of more heavy rain through the coming days, raising risks of flooding and landslides in northern and central provinces.
Bualoi was the second major storm to threaten Asia in a week.
Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest to hit in years, left at least 28 deaths in the northern Philippines and Taiwan before making landfall in China and dissipating on Thursday over Vietnam.
Global warming is making storms like Wipha, which affected south China and northern Vietnam in July, stronger and wetter, according to experts since warmer oceans provide tropical storms with more fuel, driving more intense winds, heavier rainfall, and shifting precipitation patterns across East Asia.
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