Chaos in Vietnam Today! Typhoon Bualoi Debris Flow Swept Away Homes in Ha Tinh

Vietnam is grappling with the aftermath of Typhoon Boa Loi, which made landfall late Sunday night, unleashing torrential rains, destructive winds, and widespread flooding across several central and northern provinces. The storm has left at least 13 people dead, dozens injured, and thousands displaced, with damage spanning from coastal cities to inland agricultural zones. Typhoon Boa Loi, the 10th storm to strike Vietnam this year, slammed into Nguyen province with wind speeds reaching up to 130 kilometers per hour. The typhoon's massive radius and rapid movement triggered a cascade of natural disasters. Flash floods, landslides, coastal inundation, and infrastructure collapse. Meteorologists recorded rainfall exceeding 500 millimeters in some areas, with waves as high as 8 meters battering the coastline. The storm's fury was felt acutely in cities such as Hue, Quang Tri, Ninh Binh, and Thanh Hoa. In Hue City, streets turned into rivers as floodwaters surged through neighborhoods. One resident tragically drowned, and hundreds were evacuated to emergency shelters. In Quang Tri province, fishing communities were devastated. Four boats sank, leaving 12 fishermen missing. Rescue operations are ongoing amid treacherous sea conditions. In Ninh Binh province, strong winds collapsed homes, killing six people and injuring several others. The province remains under emergency alert as water levels continue to rise. In Thanh Hoa, a falling tree claimed one life, and power outages affected thousands of households. In Ne Yen, where the storm first made landfall, residents described a night of terror. I stayed awake the whole night fearing the door would be pulled off by strong winds, said Ho Van Nguyen, a local resident. His neighbors reinforced their homes with sandbags and plywood as electricity failed across the district. Vietnamese authorities acted swiftly, evacuating over 28,500 residents from vulnerable coastal and low-lying areas. In Ha Tinh province alone, more than 15,000 people were relocated to schools and medical centers converted into temporary shelters. The government deployed nearly 117,000 military personnel to assist with evacuations, search and rescue operations, and infrastructure repair. For domestic airports, including those in Da Nang and Vinh, were shut down, leading to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. The storm has wreaked havoc on Vietnam's agricultural heartland. In Ha Tinh, nearly 6,000 hectares of farmland were flooded, and over 14,800 acres of rice and other crops were inundated. Livestock losses are still being assessed, but early reports suggest significant damage to poultry and aquaculture operations. In Ha Tinh, a key steel-producing region, industrial zones narrowly escaped major damage. However, concerns remain for factories operated by Foxconn, Formosa Plastics, LuxShare, and VinFast, which lie close to the storm's path. Meteorologists warn that the danger is far from over. Continuous rainfall has swollen rivers and reservoirs in Ne An, Ha Tinh, and Thanh Hoa provinces. Landslide alerts have been issued for mountainous regions, and authorities are monitoring dam levels closely to prevent breaches. Typhoon Boaloi's impact extends beyond Vietnam. The storm previously struck the Philippines, causing at least 20 deaths, and has now moved into Laos. It follows closely on the heels of Typhoon Regassa, which devastated parts of Taiwan and southern China earlier this month. Climate scientists are sounding the alarm. This is a fast-moving storm with very strong intensity and a wide area of impact, said Mai Van Kim, director of Vietnam's National Weather Center. Storms are becoming more powerful as the world warms due to human-driven climate change. Among the debris and floodwaters, stories of resilience and solidarity are emerging. In Gia Lai province, families anxiously await news of eight missing fishermen. In Da Nang, over 210,000 people have been relocated, many relying on community support and government aid. Nguyen Tuan Vinh, a resident of Ne An, described the storm as one of the strongest he had ever experienced. We're cleaning up now, but the damage is everywhere, homes, roads, even schools, he said. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chin has ordered an all-hands-on-deck response, mobilizing police, military and civil defense units. Relief supplies, including food, water, medicine and temporary housing, are being distributed to affected areas. The government has pledged financial assistance to families who lost homes and livelihoods. As Vietnam begins the long road to recovery, questions loom about preparedness, infrastructure resilience, and climate adaptation. Last year, Typhoon Yagi caused $3.3 billion in economic losses and hundreds of fatalities. With Boa Loi's toll still rising, the urgency for systemic reform is clear. Meanwhile, 167 schools and 12 medical facilities were damaged and had their roofs blown off. Many national and provincial highways were eroded and partially isolated. In particular, the water level on the Non-Pho River, Hung Son mountainous commune, Ha Tinh, is rising very quickly. At 7 a.m. this morning, September 29th, it exceeded the alarm level 3 by 115 centimeters. It is forecasted that in the coming time, the flood will continue to rise, posing a risk of widespread flooding, landslides and endangering people's lives and property. Chairman of the People's Committee of Ha Tinh Province, Vo Truong Hai directly directed the work of overcoming the consequences of Storm No. 10 and flood prevention in Hung Son commune. The Ha Tinh Provincial Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control said that it will continue to mobilize maximum forces and implement the four-on-the-spot principle to overcome the consequences, support people to stabilize their lives, ensure clean water, food and necessities. At the same time, quickly restore the power system, communications, schools and medical facilities. In Van Ho commune, Son La province, prolonged heavy rain has caused many villages to be cut off and isolated due to widespread flooding. National Highway 6 passing through the commune has landslides at some points causing traffic jams. The inter-village road has a bridge washed away. In Phu Yen commune, Son La province, Ban Pass area has many landslides, fallen trees blocking the road, rocks and soil spilling onto the road causing traffic congestion. Water from Tak stream, Ban stream and many other streams in Muong Khoi, Tan Lang, Gia Phu, Muong Du, Muong Bang communes rose, flooding rice fields and crops. Some schools and offices of agencies and units were seriously flooded. Currently, heavy rains are still occurring in many places. Floods may continue to rise, causing flooding in low-lying areas along rivers, streams and urban areas, affecting traffic activities, aquaculture, agricultural production, people's lives and socio-economic activities. Along with that, National Highway 6 section through Mak Chau ward, due to heavy rain, water from the hillsides poured down onto the road, causing flooding, making it impossible for vehicles to circulate. Provincial Road 101 section through Suoi Lim village to Mua commune had a landslide, with dozens of cubic meters of rock and soil flowing onto the road, making it impossible for vehicles to circulate. In Muong Bang commune, Lon village area was flooded by floodwaters causing localized flooding. Din village was divided into three areas due to landslides, floods swept away rocks and trees, blocking drainages, causing widespread flooding. Rising floodwaters and strong currents endanger lives and affect and damage houses, properties and crops of the people. According to the report of the Sun La Provincial Hydromiti Orological Station, from noon on September 29th to the end of September 30th, the province will have moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms. The total rainfall for the entire period in the eastern and southeastern regions of the province, including Van Ho, Mak Chau, Phu Yen, Bak Yen, Yen Chau, Muang Lauld, districts is generally from 150mm to 250mm, in some places over 300mm. The southwestern region, including Song Ma, Sap Kap, Mai Son, Old, districts is generally from 80mm to 150mm, in some places over 200mm. Heavy rain accompanied by whirlwinds, lightning and strong gusts of wind can affect agricultural production, break trees, damage houses, traffic works and infrastructure. Communes affected by storms and floods are urgently updating the situation, implementing solutions to respond to heavy rains and flooding, and evacuating people from dangerous areas. Along with that, they are making plans and proposing to the People's Committee of Sun La Province the need for support forces to respond when the commune's capacity is beyond. Currently, Sun La Province has established delegations to inspect and urge natural disaster prevention in some communes, prepare and respond to storm number 10 in the province. Floodwaters also flooded Muang Du Primary and Secondary School, causing deep flooding and submerged teachers' motorbikes and cars. Mr. Tran Hai Tan, chairman of Muang Bang Commune People's Committee, said, Fortunately, the students were allowed to leave school early by the school, and more than 10 boarding students were moved to the second floor safely by teachers. Local authorities have directed the evacuation of households from dangerous areas and mobilized local forces to support people. In the Old Vinh Ho and Mac Chau districts, heavy rain caused landslides on Provincial Road 101 through Suoi Lim Village to Mua Commune. Many areas were deeply flooded such as Suoi Lin, Pa Kop, Bon Hang, and Cheng Di Villages. Similarly, in Van Son, Thao Nguyen, Mac Chau, and Mac Son wards, dozens of flooded areas appeared. Authorities blocked off and put up warning signs, and many vehicles stalled due to flooding. According to the Sun La Province Hydrometeorological Station, from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on September 29, many places recorded very heavy rainfall, including Muang Du, Muang Bang, 194.4 mm, Bak Fong, Tan Fong, 174.4 mm, to Mua 151.6 mm. Meanwhile, a seven-passenger car belonging to a resident of Hong Chong, Tan Hoa, subdistrict was swept away by a storm and fell into the lake tens of meters from the parking location. Even though owners moved their cars to what they considered safe places, many private cars were still badly damaged when Hurricane No. 10 made landfall with wind gusts above Level 12. During previous storms No. 3 and No. 5, many car owners were heartbroken when their cars were flooded, windows shattered, and severely damaged even though they were parked in shopping mall lobbies. Learning from experience, before Storm No. 10 made landfall, residents in Ha Tin and Nei and proactively moved their cars to places they considered safe, such as gas stations, parks or covered garages. However, due to Typhoon No. 10's strong intensity and long duration, many cars were still damaged by falling walls, roofs, and old trees. In Ha Tin, several cars parked in a hotel lobby were hit by falling billboards and broken tiles, causing broken windows and extensive damage. In Nei En, a luxury Maybach suffered a similar fate when it was hit by falling corrugated iron. In particular, in Hong Zhong, Tan Hoa village, a seven-passenger car was thrown into the lake by a typhoon, severely damaged, leaving residents shocked by the terrible destruction after the storm. According to Hong Zhong community leaders, there are no statistics on the damage yet. The local government and community are working to address the impact of Storm No. 10. A tornado blew away the zinc roof of a cooperative factory and several residents' houses in Hoa Hop village, Dong Kin district, Ha Tin province. According to information from the Dong Kin Commune People's Committee, a tornado struck the area at 12.30 p.m. today, September 28. The tornado blew away the zinc roof of the Trung Ton Cooperative Factory, the zinc roof of Hung Thin Company, and three houses in Hoa Hop village. Initial damage has destroyed a number of products, goods, and household equipment. Currently, functional officers and local governments are assisting households and cooperatives in relocating their belongings to avoid the storm and rain. Trung Ton Cooperative Support Troops move items to safety after the tornado. Due to the impact of Typhoon No. 10, Dong Kin Commune has experienced frequent heavy rainfall and increasingly strong winds. In response to the storm, the commune working group responsible for the village has conducted inspections, provided guidance, and urged the implementation of Typhoon No. 10 response measures, including checking the resilience of houses, pruning trees, and cleaning drainage channels. Mobilize troops to support tree pruning, remove billboards, posters, and flags, reinforce doors and roofs at schools and medical stations, inspect areas vulnerable to flooding, and organize 24-7 shifts in accordance with regulations. The tornado damaged a number of products, goods, and household appliances belonging to several households in the Dong Kin area. The commune has also mobilized large capacity boats, contracted with transportation providers, prepared 500 life jackets for motorboats, deployed more than 100 security and order teams, shock troops, police, military, and army officers to provide support to the community when needed. Local authorities reported 11 houses collapsed, 126 damaged or unroofed, along with damage to five schools, one health clinic, two market pavilions, and 53 downed power poles. Several electricity lines were also cut. Meanwhile, the central province of Ha Tin was plunged into a province-wide blackout after the storm knocked down scores of power poles. The state utility group EVN said nearly 500,000 households were affected. The Ha Tin Power Company said it has mobilized all available resources to restore electricity as quickly as possible. Several power poles were also felled in Quang Tri province during the storm, and the authorities are working to restore electricity to at least 90% of the affected households and businesses within the day. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chin has extended his deepest condolences to the families of the victims. He also issued urgent instructions to accelerate rescue and recovery efforts. Local authorities in affected provinces must prioritize search and rescue operations, ensure the safety of residents, and swiftly address the consequences of the storm. The ministries of national defense, public security, and other relevant agencies are to mobilize armed forces and coordinate closely with local governments to support the recovery efforts. All ministries and localities are required to urgently implement measures to repair storm damage, following the guidance of the Politburo Secretariat and recent prime ministerial directives. Any issues beyond local authority must be promptly reported for higher-level decision-making. Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has been tasked with overseeing the national response and recovery work, with the daily situation reports on progress and challenges must be submitted to the Prime Minister before 3 p.m. each day.