HCMC — Storm Kajiki battered northern and north-central Vietnam from August 25 to 26, unleashing heavy rains, strong winds, and flooding that left three people dead, 13 injured, and thousands of homes damaged.
According to the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, the storm damaged over 6,800 houses and submerged thousands of hectares of crops, reported local media.
In Thanh Hoa Province, continuous rainfall inundated nearly 1,900 homes and cut off 27 villages as multiple provincial and inter-communal roads were submerged. Ha Tinh Province was hit hardest, with more than 6,300 homes unroofed and 1,100 homes flooded.
In the north-central region, more than 16,150 hectares of crops were submerged, including 14,000 hectares in Ha Tinh Province and 2,150 hectares in Quang Tri Province. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed.
The storm also caused major power outages, toppling more than 740 power poles and damaging the grid. Over 1.6 million customers lost electricity, with the highest numbers in Nghe An (870,000 households), Thanh Hoa (395,000), and Ha Tinh (350,000).
Transportation was heavily disrupted. On August 25, 30 flights were diverted and 35 were canceled, while Dong Hoi and Tho Xuan airports temporarily suspended operations. Three passenger trains through central Vietnam also halted service.
In Phu Tho Province, heavy rainfall measuring up to 270 millimeters triggered a landslide on provincial road 433 in Cao Son Commune, isolating Tan Pheo, Duc Nhan, and Quy Duc communes. Hundreds of residents and vehicles were stranded.
Local authorities evacuated nearly 200 households, including 51 in Cao Son, to safer locations. Initial reports noted 52 homes damaged and one person injured in the surrounding areas.
Though Kajiki weakened over Laos by the morning of August 26, its circulation continues to bring heavy rains to northern and north-central Vietnam. Forecasters warned that rainfall totals could reach 200 millimeters or more in some areas through August 27, raising the risks of additional flooding and landslides.
Kajiki, the fifth storm to form in the East Sea this year, reached peak intensity equivalent to a level 14 storm with gusts of level 17, similar to Storm Yagi earlier in 2024. Its slow movement prolonged severe conditions in affected provinces, extending the storm’s impact on communities and infrastructure.
