Tropical storm from former Typhoon Bualoi tears through Vietnam, killing at least 12
Heavy rain and powerful winds from the remnants of Typhoon Bualoi battered central Vietnam over the weekend, leaving at least 12 people dead, flooding cities, and damaging vital infrastructure before weakening to a tropical storm and moving into Laos on Monday. The storm made landfall in Ha Tinh province shortly after midnight Sunday, bringing winds of up to 133 kph (83 mph), storm surges exceeding a meter, and torrential rainfall that submerged roads, washed away temporary bridges, and cut off highland communities. Nine of the reported deaths occurred in Ninh Binh province, where houses collapsed under fierce winds. Other fatalities included a local official in Thanh Hoa province who was struck by a falling tree while returning home after preparing for the storm, a person swept away by floodwaters in Hue city, and one death reported in Danang.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with authorities searching for at least 17 missing fishermen. In Quang Tri province, strong winds broke a fishing boat loose from its moorings, leaving nine crew members adrift; four swam to shore while five remain missing. In Gia Lai province, families lost contact with eight fishermen during the storm. More than 347,000 households were left without power before Bualoi made landfall, with gusts tearing corrugated metal roofs from homes and toppling power poles along major highways. Thousands were evacuated across central and northern provinces as the storm approached faster than forecasters expected, and operations at four coastal airports were suspended.
By Monday morning, the storm’s center had crossed into Laos near Nghe An province with winds of 74 kph (46 mph), before weakening further into a tropical depression later in the day with winds of 39–61 kph (24–38 mph). Residents of Phong Nha, a region famous for its vast cave systems, described the storm as producing “terrible gusts” of wind and relentless rain that forced people to shelter indoors. Bualoi’s impact came just days after Typhoon Ragasa devastated northern Philippines and Taiwan, killing at least 28 before weakening over Vietnam. Bualoi had already caused at least 20 deaths in the Philippines and forced about 23,000 families into emergency shelters before hitting Vietnam. Experts warn that warming ocean waters are intensifying storms like Bualoi, leading to stronger winds, heavier rainfall, and more destructive flooding events across East Asia.
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