Vietnam flood death toll rises to 37 as new typhoon approaches

At least 37 people have died and five are missing after devastating floods and landslides hit central Vietnam, officials said Monday, as a new typhoon threatens to worsen the disaster.

Tens of thousands have been displaced, with many areas cut off from power and communications, including in Danang. Floodwaters have damaged canals, riverbanks, coastlines, and blocked several national highways.

Typhoon Kalmaegi is forecast to strengthen rapidly as it moves toward the central coast, with winds potentially reaching 166 kph (103 mph) when it enters the South China Sea later this week, after crossing the Philippines, according to Vietnam’s National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

Rescue teams reached stranded residents last week as water levels briefly receded. But rivers, including the Huong and Bo in Hue City, are rising again, and heavy rain is expected to continue across the region. Authorities are distributing food, clean water, and medicine, while working to restore power, clear debris, repair irrigation systems, and support farmers in restarting crops and livestock.

Vietnam has been battered by a relentless series of storms this year. Typhoons Ragasa, Bualoi, and Matmo caused widespread flooding, leaving more than 85 people dead or missing in just two weeks and causing an estimated $1.36 billion in damage. Nearly half of the country’s population lives in high-risk flood areas. Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying storms and rainfall, making such disasters increasingly frequent and severe.

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