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CatastropheVietnam

Vietnam: Heavy rains, flooding follow Typhoon Bualoi

Mark Hallam with AFP, Reuters
September 30, 2025

Planes, trains and schools were all disrupted in the aftermath of Typhoon Bualoi, with more than 30 centimeters of rain in 24 hours in parts of the country. The government said 26 had died, and 22 were still missing.

This aerial image shows flooding caused by rain following typhoon Bualoi in Lao Cai, Vietnam, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025.
Lao Cai in northern Vietnam was among the worst hit cities after the major typhoon and the torrential rains that followedImage: Đỗ Tuấn Anh/VNA/AP Photo/picture alliance

Heavy rains triggered flooding across northern Vietnam on Tuesday, with schools closed and transport limited, two days after the deadliest storm of the year to date made landfall in the coastal nation.

The environment ministry said the death toll had risen by four, to 26, with another 22 still missing and roughly 100 people injured. 

The national weather agency warned of flash floods and landslides in the aftermath of Typhoon Bualoi, saying that rainfall had exceeded 300 mm (roughly 12 inches) in the past 24 hours in several areas.

Northern cities including Lao Cai suffered severe flooding on TuesdayImage: Đỗ Tuấn Anh/VNA/AP Photo/picture alliance

Transport, schools disrupted in north

Vietnam Airlines canceled or rescheduled several flights at Hanoi's Noi Bai international airport for the safety of passengers. 

"The weather condition in Hanoi is evolving in a complicated manner with stormy rains that affect visibility and operations," the country's flag carrier said. 

Vietnam Railways Corp also suspended most of its trains between Hanoi and the business hub Ho Chi Minh City.

Capital Hanoi flooded after torrential rains

State media carried images of several flooded streets in Hanoi and stricken cars and motorbikes after the downpours and thunderstorms that hit the city on Monday. 

Torrential rains battered the capital over a period of more than 24 hoursImage: Hau Dinh/AP Photo/picture alliance

Residents reported flooded homes and an inability to reach their offices on the roads. One resident described the city on Tuesday as "a big pool," saying it was the capital's worst flooding since 2008.

Social media images showed military trucks transporting children through flooded streets from a school in the west of the capital, with appeals from parents for similar help in the north of the city. 

"It's just water everywhere here," wrote one mother. 

Some schools, meanwhile, said they would stay open in case students and teachers were unable to return home.

What else do we know about Typhoon Bualoi?

Typhoon Bualoi made landfall over Vietnam late on Sunday, with winds of 130 kilometers (80 miles) per hour, and stayed over land for around 12 hours. 

Meteorologists expect another two or three typhoons to hit the coastal country during this year's seasonImage: Đỗ Tuấn Anh/VNA/AP Photo/picture alliance

It arrived in Vietnam after passing over the Philippines, killing 27 people and forcing tens of thousands out of their homes. 

Vietnam's Environment Ministry said on Tuesday that 105 people were injured and more than 135,000 homes had been damaged, while more than 25,500 hectares (63,000 acres) of rice and crops had been flooded. The worst hit areas were the provinces of Nghe An and Ha Tinh. 

Vietnam is a country with a long coastline on its eastern flank, making it highly susceptible to typhoons and tropical cyclones alike, almost all year round.

The typhoon season typically runs from roughly June to November — last September, Typhoon Yagi killed hundreds of people and caused economic losses estimated at the equivalent of $3.3 billion (roughly €2.8 billion). 

Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko

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