After claiming the lives of 188 people, the powerful typhoon Kalmaegi made landfall in Vietnam on Friday, bringing fierce winds and torrential rains. Several areas in central Vietnam have reported damaged buildings, electricity poles and fallen trees before moving into Cambodia. According to a news report by AFP, five deaths in Vietnam’s Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and Dak Lak provinces were reported. Several terrifying videos of typhoon Kalmaegi went viral on social media, showing the danger it poses to residents. In one video, which TOI can’t verify independently, a dramatic moment was captured when the windows of a structure were shattered by fierce winds. Earlier on Thursday, the Philippines’ President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared a national emergency. According to office of civil defence, Kalmaegi left at least 188 people dead and 135 missing. It is now expected to move through Laos and hit northeast Thailand. The meteorological department in Thailand has advised people to be cautious while predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall, which could bring flash floods and river overflows. Meanwhile, three fishermen went missing as their boat was swept away on Ly Son Island in Vietnam’s Quang Ngai province. Over 537,000 people have been evacuated as the storm made landfall.
