Vietnam is rushing to move more than a quarter of a million people out of harm’s way as Typhoon Bualoi barrels toward the country’s central coast.
The powerful storm — Vietnam’s 10th this year — is churning offshore with winds reaching up to 130 km/h and is forecast to slam into land around 7 p.m. local time on Sunday, according to
the national weather agency.
In Danang, the largest city in central Vietnam, officials have ordered the evacuation of over 210,000 residents. Nearby Hue is moving 32,000 people from coastal zones, while Ha Tinh province — home to one of Vietnam’s biggest steel hubs — has prepared schools and medical centers as emergency shelters for at least 15,000 evacuees.
Nearly 117,000 troops have been mobilized to assist with evacuations and emergency response. Four domestic airports have suspended flights, and all fishing vessels have been called back to shore.
“I feel a bit anxious but still hopeful that everything will be fine in the aftermath,” said Nguyen Cuong, 29, who lives in Ha Tinh City. “We were all safe after the recent Typhoon Kajiki. I hope this one will be the same or less severe.”
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that Bualoi could strengthen slightly as it nears land, bringing winds up to 133 km/h along with heavy rains, flooding, landslides, and storm surges.
“This is a fast-moving storm with very strong intensity and a wide impact area,” said Mai Van Khiem, the center’s director. “It has the potential to trigger multiple types of natural disasters at the same time.”
Vietnam is one of the countries most vulnerable to extreme weather. Scientists have long warned that as global temperatures rise, storms in the region are becoming stronger and more unpredictable.
So far in 2025, more than 100 people in Vietnam have died or gone missing in floods, landslides, and other disasters. Just a year ago, Typhoon Yagi left a devastating mark in the north, killing hundreds and inflicting an estimated $3.3 billion in economic losses. Photo by Vyacheslav Argenberg, Wikimedia commons.