Powerful Typhoon Kajiki Threatens Vietnam with Destructive Winds and Storm Surges

Vietnam braces for Typhoon Kajiki as it approaches the country’s northeast coast, threatening destructive winds and storm surges. The typhoon, currently categorized as a Category 2 Atlantic hurricane-equivalent, moved over the Gulf of Tonkin overnight with sustained wind speeds of 166 kph (103 mph).

As of Monday morning, over 40,000 residents in low-lying coastal communities had been evacuated. Authorities urged residents to remain indoors between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. local time, while state media reported that schools in Thanh Hoa province were closed for two days.

Typhoon Kajiki is the fifth to hit Vietnam this year and the most powerful, maintaining its intensity as it churned towards the coast. Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh warned of heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides, particularly in low-lying coastal areas.

Kajiki is anticipated to make landfall in the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An late Monday afternoon into evening local time, as either a weak typhoon or strong tropical storm. Thanh Hoa is approximately 166 kilometers (103 miles) south of Hanoi.

The government has warned of potential storm surges of up to 1.5 meters and sea levels reaching more than 3.5 meters in some areas, posing a threat to those living on the low-lying north-east and central coast. Fears include farmlands and villages being inundated by heavy rain and strong winds, potentially causing crop damage and livestock casualties.

China’s Meteorological Center predicts that Kajiki will bring heavy rain to 13 provinces in central and northern Vietnam, as well as Laos and Thailand, as it moves inland, increasing the risk of flash flooding and mudslides. Between 200-400 millimeters of rain is expected in some regions, with isolated areas experiencing over 600 mm.

The Joint Typhoon Warning Center anticipates Kajiki will weaken rapidly over land, dropping to tropical depression strength by early Tuesday.

Prior to reaching Vietnam, Typhoon Kajiki brushed past the southern coast of China’s Hainan island and parts of Guangdong province Sunday evening. Sanya city on Hainan island closed tourist attractions, shuttered businesses, and suspended public transport as heavy rain and strong winds hit the area.

Authorities activated emergency responses in Sanya, where trees were toppled onto cars, roads blocked by fallen trees, and people struggled to stand amidst gale-force winds. Videos posted on social media showed these events and a moped rider trapped beneath a fallen tree.

Sanya issued a red typhoon alert Sunday morning – the highest in China’s color-coded warning system – and raised its emergency response to the most severe level. The alert was later downgraded, but heavy rains and storms are expected to continue in southern Hainan.