Vietnam's environment ministry reported five deaths in three central provinces – Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak. Seven people were injured.
How many people died in Vietnam as a result of the typhoon?
What are the effects of Typhoon Kalmaegi in Vietnam?
How many people are missing in the Philippines after the typhoon?
What losses did this year's natural disasters cause in Vietnam?
After hitting land, the typhoon quickly moved inland, but its strength weakened significantly and it became a tropical storm. However, Vietnam's national meteorological office warned that heavy rains were still expected across much of Vietnam's central coast.
On Friday, AFP journalists observed the effects of the typhoon on the beach in the coastal city of Quy Nhon, the capital of Gia Lai province. Residents, emergency services and soldiers tried to clean up fallen trees, rubble and fragments of buildings. In the provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak, almost 3,000 buildings were damaged or torn off. objects, and 57 houses collapsed. The storm also sank 11 boats and led to the collapse of the bridge in Gia Lai.
— We are all safe and healthy, (but) the typhoon was really terrible, a lot of trees fell, Nguyen Van Tam, a fisherman from Gia Lai, told AFP. He added that he was glad that his boat was not damaged.
Millions of people without electricity. Fighting against the effects of the element
Vietnam's state-owned energy company reported that more than one and a half million people were left without electricity as a result of the typhoon's impact. By Friday morning, electricity supply had been restored to one third of them.
Vietnam is usually hit by about 10 typhoons or storms a year, but Kalmaegi is the 13th such phenomenon since January. According to scientists, climate change caused by human activity is making extreme weather events more frequent and more destructive. This year's natural disasters have left 279 people dead or missing in Vietnam and losses of more than $2 billion, according to the country's statistics office.
In recent days, Typhoon Kalmaegi devastated the central part of the Philippines, especially in densely populated areas. According to the latest data from the authorities in Manila, the death toll is at least 188 (previously reported at least 142), and 135 people are still missing. Another typhoon is expected to hit the Philippines in the coming days – Fung Wong, which may be even stronger than Kalmaegi.
