Typhoon Kalmaegi hits Vietnam as Philippines death toll rises

The powerful storm made landfall in central Vietnam on Thursday, bringing fierce rain, waves, and winds to areas already weakened by flooding. Its wind gusts reached up to roughly 113 mph, according to the local VnExpress news agency. Over 537,000 people were evacuated, according to VnExpress. Floodwaters in the Dak Lak province far inland reached more than 6 feet, and at least one person died in a house collapse there, according to Vietnam News.

The Philippine government on Thursday declared a state of national calamity to expedite aid to victims of the typhoon, which barreled through the central islands of the archipelago on Tuesday. Kalmaegi caused severe flooding and killed at least 125 people, with 63 still missing on Thursday, according to the local SunStar Davao outlet. About 562,000 people were displaced as of Wednesday, according to the Philippine government.

What about the new tropical storm heading toward the Philippines? Tropical Storm Fung-Wong slightly intensified on Thursday and was expected to make landfall over the northern Philippines on Monday, according to the country’s weather bureau. It was forecast to develop into a super typhoon, equivalent to a Category 4 or Category 5 hurricane, by Saturday.

Dig deeper: Read my initial report about Typhoon Kalmaegi’s destruction.