Typhoon Bualoi kills 19 in Vietnam, 21 still missing

(Reuters): Vietnam’s death toll from Typhoon Bualoi rose to 19 with another 21 people still missing, the government said on Tuesday, making it the most devastating storm to hit the country this year as heavy rains raised the risk of flooding and landslides in northern regions.

Bualoi made landfall on Monday in northern central Vietnam, bringing huge sea swells, strong winds and downpours. Last week, the typhoon had killed at least 10 people in the Philippines.

The government said 88 people had also been injured, more than 100,000 houses were damaged, mostly in Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces, and more than 10,000 hectares of rice and crops had been inundated.

Rainfall in several parts of Vietnam had exceeded 300 millimetres over the past 24 hours, the national weather agency said. Heavy rains would continue, including in the capital Hanoi, and strong winds and lightning were also possible, it said.

“Landslides and flash floods are likely to happen in several areas over the next six hours,” the agency said.

As of Tuesday, several villages in northern central Vietnam remained flooded with no traffic or power, state media reported.

With a long coastline facing the South China Sea, Vietnam is prone to typhoons that often also bring heavy rains that cause severe flooding.