On Monday, Vietnam evacuated tens of thousands from coastal zones in preparation for Typhoon Kajiki, anticipated to hit the central region with winds reaching 140 km/h.
This is the fifth typhoon to impact Vietnam this year, currently stirring the Gulf of Tonkin with waves up to 9.5 meters (31 feet).
Authorities have announced that over 325,500 residents from five coastal provinces will be relocated to schools and public buildings turned into temporary shelters.
Vinh, a waterfront city, was flooded overnight; by morning, its streets were mostly empty as shops and restaurants stayed closed, with entrances sandbagged by residents and business owners.
By sunrise, nearly 30,000 people had been relocated, with 16,000 military personnel mobilized.
Two domestic airports were closed, and all fishing vessels in the typhoon’s path were called back to port.
“I have never seen a typhoon of this magnitude in our city,” said 66-year-old Le Manh Tung at an indoor sports stadium in Vinh, where evacuated families had a simple breakfast of sticky rice.
“I’m a bit scared, but we must accept it because it’s nature — we can’t do anything,” he told AFP, among just a few dozen camping at the evacuation site on Monday morning.
The typhoon is expected to hit land around 3:00 pm (0800 GMT) with winds of about 139 km/h (86 mph), according to Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
“Rain will persist today and tomorrow, raising the risks of floods and flash floods on rivers,” director Mai Van Khiem stated.
– ‘Unprecedented Scale’ –
Scientists suggest human-induced climate change is leading to more intense and unpredictable weather, increasing the likelihood of destructive floods and storms, especially in the tropics.
“We usually experience storms and flooding, but never this large,” said 52-year-old evacuee Nguyen Thi Nhan.
The typhoon’s strength is expected to significantly weaken after landfall.
The Joint Typhoon Warning Center indicated conditions show “a weakening trend as the system nears the continental shelf of the Gulf of Tonkin, where ocean heat content is lower”.
Over a dozen Vietnamese domestic flights were canceled on Sunday, while China’s Hainan island evacuated about 20,000 residents as the typhoon passed to its south.
Sanya, the island’s main city, closed scenic areas and halted business activities.
In Vietnam, more than 100 people have been reported dead or missing due to natural disasters in the first seven months of 2025, according to the agriculture ministry.
Economic damages are estimated at over $21 million.
In September last year, Vietnam faced $3.3 billion in economic damages from Typhoon Yagi, which swept through the north, causing hundreds of deaths.
