Vietnam Prepares for Typhoon Bualoi, Evacuating Thousands and Halting Flights
Hue, Vietnam – Authorities in Vietnam are preparing for the arrival of Typhoon Bualoi, initiating the evacuation of over 32,000 coastal residents and suspending operations at four airports, including Danang International Airport, as of Sunday. Several flights have been rescheduled due to the impending storm.
The evacuations and airport closures underscore the increasing threat posed by intensifying typhoons to coastal communities in Southeast Asia. Bualoi is the second major storm to threaten the region in a week, following Typhoon Ragasa, which caused at least 28 deaths in the Philippines and Taiwan before dissipating over Vietnam. Heavy rainfall began drenching central Vietnamese provinces Saturday night, causing flooding in Hue, damaging roofs, and prompting a search for at least one person swept away by floodwaters.
In Quang Tri province, a fishing boat sank and another became stranded while seeking shelter. Nine fishermen have been rescued,and efforts continue to locate two others still at sea,according to state media reports. Forecasters are predicting continued heavy rains through October 1,raising concerns about further flooding and landslides across northern and central provinces.
Experts attribute the increasing strength and intensity of storms like Bualoi to global warming, noting that warmer ocean temperatures provide more fuel for tropical cyclones, leading to more intense winds and heavier rainfall patterns across East Asia.