Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaked havoc across Vietnam and the Philippines, claiming lives and causing extensive damage in its path. The storm, which had already battered the Philippines earlier in the week, struck Vietnam on Friday with fierce winds and torrential rains, resulting in at least five fatalities and widespread destruction. Three deaths occurred in Dak Lak province, while two were reported in Gia Lai. Three individuals remain missing in Quang Ngai, and six others sustained injuries. The storm caused 52 houses to collapse and damaged nearly 2,600 more, with over 2,400 homes in Gia Lai alone losing their roofs. Power outages affected more than 1.6 million households. In the Philippines, where Kalmaegi had previously made landfall, the death toll rose to 188, with 135 still missing. Over half a million people were displaced, and nearly 450,000 sought refuge in shelters. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national emergency as the country prepared for another impending storm, Typhoon Fung-wong. In Vietnam, recovery efforts are underway as residents and authorities clear debris and repair damaged infrastructure. The storm’s impact was exacerbated by recent record-breaking floods in the central region, which had already displaced over 537,000 people. Scientists warn that climate change is intensifying storms and rainfall in Southeast Asia, making such disasters increasingly frequent and destructive.
Typhoon Kalmaegi kills 5 people in Vietnam as the Philippines prepares for a new storm
