At least 5 killed as Typhoon Kalmaegi slams into Vietnam

Vietnamese state media report extensive damage in central provinces and power outages for 1.2 million people.

Typhoon Kalmaegi has killed at least five people in Vietnam after slamming into its central and highland provinces, according to Vietnamese state media.

Kalmaegi made landfall in central Vietnam on Thursday evening, bringing heavy wind and rain that damaged thousands of buildings across the region, the state-run Vietnam News reports.

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The storm led to the collapse of nearly 57 houses and ripped the roofs off an estimated 3,000 more, the news outlet said, while also causing 11 boats to sink and downing power lines across the country.

Vietnam’s Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, and Gia Lai provinces were some of the hardest hit, Vietnam News said, with the government reporting five deaths and seven injuries as of midday on Friday local time.

More than 8,000 people have been evacuated from storm-hit areas while 1.28 million households remain without power, according to Vietnam News.

The government said it had mobilised more than 268,000 soldiers for search-and-rescue operations while the US embassy in Hanoi issued a travel advisory, warning that coastal Vietnam could see waves of between 4-8 metres (13-26ft) high and winds of up to 135km (84 miles) per hour in some parts of the country.

Kalmaegi – the 13th typhoon to form in the South China Sea this year – has now weakened to a tropical storm, according to Vietnam’s weather forecaster, as it moves on to nearby Cambodia and Laos.

Earlier this week, Kalmaegi tore through the central Philippines, killing at least 188 people in one of the worst disasters of the year, according to its Office of Civil Defense.

According to Philippine authorities, the death toll may continue to rise, as 135 people are still missing following heavy rains and flooding from Kalmaegi.

Vietnam and the Philippines are highly vulnerable to tropical storms and typhoons due to their locations along the Pacific typhoon belt, regularly experiencing damage and casualties during peak storm seasons.