Vietnam Braces for Impact as Typhoon Bualoi Threatens Central Coast

Vietnam is on high alert as Typhoon Bualoi nears its central coast, necessitating the mobilization of nearly 100,000 military personnel and the evacuation of approximately 250,000 people. Al Jazeera reported Sunday that winds of up to 130 km/h mark Bualoi as the tenth typhoon to threaten the country in 2025, with landfall anticipated later in the day, according to Vietnam's meteorology agency.

The agency warned of the storm's rapid movement, nearly double the average speed, and its potential to unleash a combination of natural disasters, including destructive winds, torrential rain, floods, flash floods, landslides, and coastal inundation. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh emphasized the urgency, calling for the "highest level of readiness" as the cyclone approached Vietnamese waters, reported Al Jazeera, referencing Viet Nam News.

Precautionary measures include closing at least four airports and ordering fishing boats back to harbor, with authorities in coastal areas urging residents to secure their vessels. Al Jazeera highlighted a crisis involving three missing fishermen from Ho Chi Minh City when one vessel sank, and another was disabled by massive waves off Quang Tri province, though eight individuals were rescued. Emergency efforts in Da Nang, the largest city, involve evacuating over 210,000 residents and deploying more than 200 workers to perform coastline reinforcement tasks.

The typhoon's earlier impact on the Philippines resulted in widespread mudslides and floods, with at least ten fatalities reported and ten others missing. Al Jazeera cites growing concern among scientists that storms in the region are intensifying due to climate change. Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development reported over 100 casualties or missing individuals from natural disasters in the first seven months of 2025.