Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves Five Dead, Hundreds Affected in Central Vietnam

IN NEWS:

Typhoon Kalmaegi Leaves Five Dead, Hundreds Affected in Central Vietnam

ANALYSIS:

1. Context: Central Vietnam has been severely impacted by Typhoon Kalmaegi, resulting in casualties, infrastructure damage, and widespread disruption across multiple provinces.
2. Casualties: Local reports confirm five deaths — three in Dak Lak province and two in Gia Lai province — along with six injuries.
3. Property Damage:
   • 52 houses collapsed, and 2,593 houses sustained partial damage.
   • Extensive damage to roofs, windows, and power lines caused widespread power outages, impacting hundreds of thousands of households.
4. Rescue & Relief Efforts:
   • Emergency teams are conducting damage assessments and recovery operations.
   • Rescue work has been hampered by roof collapses, flooding, and heavy debris.
5. Storm Path and Intensity:
   • Kalmaegi made landfall yesterday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
   • It weakened into a tropical depression early today before dissipating into a low-pressure area over southern Laos.
6. Impact on Air Travel:
   • The typhoon disrupted operations at eight airports — Da Nang, Phu Bai, Lien Khuong, Chu Lai, Phu Cat, Tuy Hoa, Pleiku, and Buon Ma Thuot.
   • Over 50 flights were affected, prompting authorities to initiate round-the-clock monitoring and infrastructure inspections for safety.

STATIC PART (For UPSC Relevance):

1. About Typhoons:
   • Typhoons are tropical cyclones formed over the western North Pacific Ocean (equivalent to hurricanes in the Atlantic).
   • They are classified based on sustained wind speeds; once winds exceed 118 km/h, a tropical storm becomes a typhoon.
2. Naming of Typhoons:
   • The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and WMO Typhoon Committee assign names from a pre-approved list contributed by countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
3. Geographical Context – Vietnam:
   • Vietnam’s central coast is highly vulnerable to tropical cyclones due to its long coastline facing the South China Sea.
   • Major provinces often affected include Da Nang, Quang Nam, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak.

Updated – 07 Nov 2025 ; 09:58 AM | News Source: All India Radio News (newsonair.gov.in)