Vietnam is mobilizing more than 260,000 soldiers and personnel after Typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall, bringing destructive winds of up to 92 mph to areas already battling record rains and flooding.
The storm follows its deadly passage through the Philippines, where it killed at least 114 people and inundated entire towns.
Strong winds and torrential rains hit Dak Lak province, about 350 km northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, where hundreds of residents reported flooded or collapsed homes just 30 minutes after landfall.
Local media reported urgent calls for help from two communes in the province.
The government has temporarily closed six airports, warning that hundreds of flights will be affected.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held an online meeting to direct emergency response, stressing: “We must reach isolated areas and ensure people have food, drinking water, and essential supplies. No one should be left hungry or cold.”
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha described Kalmaegi as a “very abnormal” storm and urged local officials to treat the situation with urgency.
The military has deployed more than 6,700 vehicles and six aircraft to support rescue operations, while the military-owned conglomerate Viettel is using fly-cams to aid relief efforts.
The typhoon exacerbates ongoing flooding that has already claimed 35 lives, submerged over 100,000 homes, and triggered more than 150 landslides across the country, affecting key tourist cities including Hue and Hoi An.