Typhoon Kalmaegi Deepens Southeast Asia’s Disaster Crisis With Deadly Floods in Vietnam and Mass Evacuations in the Philippines

Vietnam on Edge as Floods Turn Deadly

Central Vietnam is bracing for another disaster. Days of relentless rain have already drowned villages, torn through roads, and triggered deadly landslides. At least 37 people are confirmed dead, and the toll is expected to rise. Now, Typhoon Kalmaegi - a rapidly intensifying storm moving in from the South China Sea - is on track to make landfall this week.

Authorities warn that the storm could bring winds up to 166 kilometers per hour (103 mph) and another round of catastrophic flooding. The Huong and Bo rivers in Hue City are already near bursting. “The water is rising again," one local official told state media, “and we are running out of time."

Power lines are down across parts of Danang, where many neighborhoods remain isolated. Roads have turned into rivers. Some residents have taken shelter on rooftops, waving for help as rescuers navigate by boat through debris-choked streets.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting warned that heavy rainfall will continue through the week, with fresh landslides likely in mountainous areas. The government has deployed emergency teams to deliver food, water, and medicine, while soldiers clear roads and rebuild bridges. Farmers are being supplied with new seed and livestock as the country struggles to restore basic life to flood-hit regions.

A Storm’s First Strike: The Philippines

Before bearing down on Vietnam, Typhoon Kalmaegi ripped through the Philippines, forcing more than 150,000 people to flee their homes in the eastern provinces. In Guiuan, on Samar Island, entire families spent the night in crowded evacuation centers as torrential rain lashed the coastline and winds howled through the trees.

By Monday night, Kalmaegi - locally known as Tino - was packing sustained winds of 140 km/h (87 mph) and gusts reaching 170 km/h (106 mph) . Storm surges up to three meters high battered coastal towns, flooding streets and flattening houses built too close to shore.

In Cebu, still reeling from a 6.9-magnitude earthquake last month, residents rushed to reinforce roofs and windows. Authorities also warned that heavy rains could trigger volcanic mudflows on Kanlaon Volcano, where ash and steam emissions have been active for weeks.

“People are scared," said a civil defense volunteer in Negros. “We just finished cleaning up from the earthquake, and now this storm is coming. It feels endless."

A Relentless March Across the Sea

Kalmaegi is expected to sweep across the Philippine Sea, gaining more strength from its warm waters before heading toward Vietnam’s central coast. Meteorologists believe it could intensify again before landfall, bringing another surge of destructive winds and torrential rain.

Emergency shelters in Vietnam are already full. Coastal residents have begun boarding up homes, securing boats, and moving inland. The government has ordered fishermen to stay ashore and suspended all ferry operations in anticipation of the storm.

A Season of Relentless Storms

This has been one of Southeast Asia’s harshest storm seasons in years. In just two months, Typhoons Ragasa, Bualoi, and Matmo have killed more than 85 people and caused over $1.3 billion in damage.

The soil is saturated, the rivers are full, and every new storm pushes the region closer to collapse. Scientists warn that warmer oceans and a changing climate are fueling stronger, slower, and wetter typhoons, leaving little recovery time between disasters.

For many in the Philippines and Vietnam, it is no longer just another storm season. It is a cycle of destruction that begins again before anyone can rebuild.