The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi in Vietnam climbed to 19 on Tuesday, with 21 people still missing, officials said, as torrential rains unleashed widespread flooding in the capital Hanoi and across northern provinces.
The powerful storm made landfall on Monday in north-central Vietnam, lashing coastal areas with fierce winds, towering sea waves, and heavy downpours. Authorities reported 88 people injured, more than 100,000 homes damaged, mainly in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, and at least 10,000 hectares of farmland inundated.
The national weather agency said rainfall in several regions had exceeded 300 millimetres in just 24 hours, warning of a continued risk of landslides and flash floods.
In Hanoi, relentless downpours turned streets into rivers, crippling traffic across downtown districts. “Water is flowing into my living room… I’ve never seen anything like this before,” said Hoang Quoc Uy, a 49-year-old resident of the capital.
State media reported that some villages in northern central provinces remained cut off, with no power or road access. In Nghe An, television footage showed floodwaters rising close to rooftops.
“This is my house, the roof was blown away by the typhoon wind and now it is half a metre deep in water. All of my belongings are gone,” said Ngo Thi Loan, 56, speaking to Reuters.
Bualoi had earlier swept through the Philippines last week, killing at least 10 people before heading toward Vietnam. With a long and vulnerable coastline along the South China Sea, Vietnam regularly suffers destructive typhoons that bring deadly flooding and landslides.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
