Typhoon Bualoi batters Vietnam with ‘terrible gusts’, leaving 2 dead, 12 missing

Typhoon Bualoi made landfall in northern central Vietnam in the early hours of Monday, damaging houses and knocking down power grids, with at least two people dead and 12 fishermen missing as the storm brought flooding rains and huge swells.

The typhoon was over Nghe An province as of 8am, with maximum wind speeds weakening to 88km/h (55mph) from 117 km/h when it made landfall hours earlier, according to the national weather forecast agency.

Before making landfall, Bualoi had moved along the country’s coastline for several hours, causing waves as high as eight metres (26 feet), according to the national weather agency.

In Phong Nha commune, about 45km (28 miles) from Dong Hoi, residents described “terrible gusts” of wind and pounding rain. “No one dares to go out,” Le Hang, a resident told state media VNExpress.

One person died after being caught in floodwater in Hue city, while 12 fishermen were missing after huge waves sank four fishing boats off Quang Tri province, state media reported.

A 16-year-old was also killed on Sunday in the province by electrocution during heavy rain and strong winds. He was travelling with a friend on a village road when the accident happened.

Ahead of the typhoon hitting, the government evacuated more than 28,500 people, while hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed as four airports in central provinces were closed.