Assalamu alaikum - Typhoon Kalmaegi heads for Vietnam after heavy losses in the Philippines
Assalamu alaikum. Meteorologists say Typhoon Kalmaegi has strengthened again and is now moving toward central Vietnam.
Authorities in the Philippines have confirmed at least 114 people were killed by the storm, with about 127 still missing. The president declared a state of emergency and warned another strong storm may be on the way. May Allah have mercy on those affected and grant patience to the families.
The US military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center reported that Kalmaegi has regained power and is closing in on Vietnam’s central coast. In its latest notice, the JTWC said the typhoon is heading for the Vietnamese shore and is near peak intensity, upgraded to Category 4. It’s expected to strike north of Quy Nhon in central Vietnam.
Locally called Tino, the storm hit the Philippines hard as it made landfall in several central areas on Tuesday and is now the deadliest natural disaster there this year. In Cebu province and other badly hit places, images and reports show wide destruction. Many of the more than 200,000 people who were evacuated have come back to demolished homes, overturned vehicles, and streets full of debris.
Cleanup has started: people are removing mud from houses and hauling big pieces of wreckage from roads. “The challenge now is debris clearing,” a senior civil defence official said, stressing the need to clear rubble quickly so rescue teams can search for missing people and relief deliveries can move forward.
The president called the storm a “national calamity” and said the emergency declaration will let the government access funds faster and help stop food hoarding and price gouging.
Officials also warned of another storm approaching the northern Philippines, internationally called Fung-wong and locally called Uwan, which might be even stronger than Kalmaegi. The national weather agency expects Fung-wong could become a super typhoon by Saturday and has a growing chance of hitting northern or central Luzon.
As Kalmaegi crosses the South China Sea, Vietnamese authorities have started mobilising thousands of soldiers to help evacuate around 350,000 people in the central highland province of Gia Lai. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected in several central provinces, with flooding possible in low areas and damage to crops, including the ongoing coffee harvest. Airport operations at several airports, including Da Nang, may also be disrupted.
May Allah protect those in the storm’s path, accept the efforts of rescue teams, and grant ease to the victims and their families.
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