Vietnam Prepares for Typhoon Bualoi’s Arrival
HANOI: On Sunday, Vietnam took major precautions as Typhoon Bualoi approached, closing down airports and evacuating thousands from at-risk areas. This comes just days after the typhoon wreaked havoc in the Philippines, where it resulted in at least 10 fatalities and significant flooding.
As of 0200 GMT, the storm was traveling with winds of up to 133 km/h (83 mph) and is expected to hit central Vietnam later in the day, earlier than earlier predictions due to its rapid speed, according to the country’s weather agency.
“This storm is moving quickly—nearly twice as fast as usual—and has a wide impact area,” the agency warned.
Officials in the central region of Ha Tinh have already begun evacuating over 15,000 residents, and thousands of troops are on standby to assist if needed.
The Civil Aviation Authority announced that operations were suspended at four coastal airports, including Danang international airport, and many flight schedules were altered.
Heavy rains have already led to flooding in cities like Hue and Quang Tri. Due to its extensive coastline along the South China Sea, Vietnam is frequently at risk from severe typhoons, which can be devastating. Last year, Typhoon Yagi resulted in around 300 deaths and caused $3.3 billion in damages.
