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The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi in Vietnam has climbed above 50, with more than a dozen people still missing days after the storm unleashed severe flooding across the country, officials said on Friday.
Bualoi struck central Vietnam late on Sunday with winds of up to 130 kilometres (80 miles) per hour and remained over land for nearly 12 hours.
The heavy rain flooded Hanoi and caused widespread landslides, damaging over 200,000 homes, infrastructure, and farmland.
The environment ministry estimated that the storm’s destruction could cost as much as $600 million. At least 51 people have died, while 14 remain missing, according to the ministry’s latest update.
Several fatalities occurred in the mountainous north due to landslides, which also cut off access to popular tourist destinations such as Sapa and Mu Cang Chai.
Images on state media showed roads washed away and mountain passes blocked by debris.
Although water levels are now receding, forecasters warned that Typhoon Matmo — currently nearing the northern Philippines — could affect northern Vietnam early next week. If it makes landfall, it will be the 11th storm to hit the country this year, exceeding the annual average of 10.
Bualoi had already killed 37 people and displaced 400,000 in the Philippines before reaching Vietnam.
Scientists say human-driven climate change is intensifying extreme weather events such as typhoons, making them increasingly deadly and destructive.
Between January and August, storms caused Vietnam $371 million in damage — triple the amount recorded during the same period last year.
Typhoon Yagi, which struck in September 2024, killed hundreds and caused an estimated $3.3 billion in losses.
