Vietnam braces for Typhoon Kalmaegi after devastating parts of Philippines

New Delhi, Nov 6: Vietnam is preparing for the landfall of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which has intensified after devastating parts of the Philippines, where it killed at least 114 people and submerged several towns.

Authorities have ordered the closure of six airports, warning that hundreds of flights will be disrupted. The storm is expected to make landfall north of the coastal city of Quy Nhon later on Thursday, prompting large-scale evacuations. Around 100,000 households in the neighbouring Gia Lai province have already been moved to safer areas. Officials have urged residents who remain in coastal or flood-prone regions to stay indoors.

Vietnam, already grappling with record rainfall and flooding, is bracing for one of Asia’s strongest storms this year. The country’s weather bureau has warned that Kalmaegi could generate waves up to eight metres high in the South China Sea. The storm made landfall in the Philippines earlier this week, where tens of thousands were displaced and a national state of emergency was declared. It is the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year.