Typhoon Bualoi kills nine in Vietnam before weakening into storm

The roof of a parking shed seen collapsed on cars in the aftermath of Typhoon Bualoi in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam, on Monday. Pic/PTI

Heavy rain and strong winds from Typhoon Bualoi flooded roads, knocked off roofs and caused at least nine deaths in central Vietnam before it weakened to a storm that moved Monday into Laos, state media reported.

The storm tore through communities, damaging houses, schools and power poles, sweeping away temporary bridges and flooding roads and low-water crossings across several provinces. Flooding in cities submerged vehicles, and many highland communities were cut off.

State media said rescue teams were searching for 17 missing fishermen.

Forecasters in Vietnam said that at 10 am Monday, the storm's centre was over land near the border of Nghe An province and Laos, with winds of 74 kmph. They said it would push deep into central Laos.

Authorities grounded fishing boats and suspended operations at four coastal airports.

More than 347,000 homes lost power before the typhoon made landfall just after midnight on Sunday. Strong gusts ripped roofs from homes along highways and toppled concrete pillars.

Vietnam evacuated thousands from central and northern provinces as the storm approached faster than expected. It came ashore in the northern coastal province of Ha Tinh around 12.30 am, bringing winds of up to 133 kmph, storm surges of more than a metre and heavy rain.

Bualoi caused 20 deaths in the Philippines since Friday. It forced about 23,000 families to evacuate to more than 1400 emergency shelters. It is the second major storm to threaten Asia in a week. Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest to hit in years, left at least 28 deaths in the Philippines and Taiwan before making landfall in China and dissipating on Thursday over Vietnam.

20
No. of deaths Bualoi caused in the Philippines

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