Vietnam evacuates thousands, shuts airports as Typhoon Bualoi nears

Vietnam shut airports and evacuated thousands of residents on Sunday as Typhoon Bualoi intensified and bore down on the country, just days after leaving at least 10 people dead and triggering severe flooding in the Philippines.

The typhoon was producing winds of up to 133 km/h (83 mph) as of 10:00 GMT and is forecast to make landfall in central Vietnam at around 01:00 on Monday, slowing as it approaches the coast, state-run Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

“This is a rapidly moving storm – nearly twice the average speed – with strong intensity and a wide impact zone,” the national weather forecasting agency said. “It has the potential to unleash multiple disasters simultaneously, including destructive winds, heavy rainfall, flooding, flash floods, landslides and coastal inundation.”

Northern and central provinces could see up to 600 mm of rain through 1 October, with rivers rising as much as nine metres, heightening the risk of flooding and landslides, the agency added.

In Ha Tinh province, authorities began evacuating more than 15,000 people, while thousands of troops were placed on standby, the government confirmed. Residents in Vinh, the capital of Nghe An province where landfall is expected, hurried to secure their homes, tie down fishing boats and reinforce roofs with sandbags and water-filled sacks.

“We already suffered losses from Typhoon Kajiki this year and haven’t recovered yet,” said Bui Thi Tuyet, a 41-year-old resident. “In over 20 years living here, I have never felt so terrified because of storms.”

Vietnam suspended operations at four coastal airports on Sunday, including Da Nang International, while some flights were rescheduled, according to the Civil Aviation Authority. Schools in the affected regions will remain closed on Monday, with the possibility of extended closures, VnExpress reported.

Heavy rain has already triggered flooding in Hue and Quang Tri provinces, the government said.

Vietnam, with its long South China Sea coastline, is highly vulnerable to deadly typhoons. Last year, Typhoon Yagi killed around 300 people and caused an estimated $3.3 billion in property damage.

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