HUE, VIETNAM – September 28, 2025 – Typhoon BUALOI, the 10th major storm of the season, has begun making landfall on the coast of Central Vietnam, unleashing destructive winds and torrential rain on a region that has evacuated over 200,000 people in a massive emergency response effort.
The powerful typhoon began to directly impact the mainland in the pre-dawn hours this morning, targeting a wide coastal swath of provinces from Quảng Bình to Thừa Thiên Huế. As of early morning, the storm's eye was located approximately 100 kilometers (about 62 miles) off the coast, moving steadily westward.
The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting has issued its highest-level warnings, confirming that BUALOI is packing maximum sustained winds of Level 12-13 on the Vietnamese scale. This corresponds to speeds of 118-149 km/h (73-92 mph), with ferocious gusts reaching up to Level 16, or over 200 km/h (125 mph). This makes BUALOI equivalent to a strong Category 2 hurricane, with its gusts reaching Category 4 intensity.
On-the-Ground Reports: Devastation Begins
Reports from the coastal areas of Quảng Trị and Thừa Thiên Huế provinces paint a dire picture. Since 4:00 AM local time, residents have been experiencing violent wind gusts and blinding, horizontal rain, leading to widespread power outages.
Initial reports confirm:
Structural Damage: Numerous trees have been uprooted, and the roofs of many homes have been torn off by the sheer force of the wind.
Massive Storm Surge: The typhoon is generating incredibly dangerous sea conditions, with waves reaching heights of 8 to 10 meters (26 to 33 feet), battering sea walls and causing significant coastal inundation.
Massive Evacuation and Emergency Response
In a massive, coordinated effort, authorities in the provinces from Hà Tĩnh down to Thừa Thiên Huế have successfully evacuated more than 200,000 people from their homes. The evacuations prioritized those living in low-lying coastal areas, regions prone to flash flooding, and communities at high risk of landslides.
"All available forces are braced to combat the storm," a government statement read. "Our highest priority is ensuring the safety and lives of our citizens."
Military personnel, police, and disaster response teams have been deployed throughout the region to reinforce infrastructure, assist with evacuations, and prepare for search and rescue operations once the storm passes. BUALOI is being described by officials as the most powerful typhoon to strike this region of Vietnam in many years, and the full extent of the damage is not expected to be known until the storm has fully passed.
