Typhoon Bualoi devastates northern Vietnam, hundreds injured and missing

The death toll from Typhoon Bualoi and the devastating floods it unleashed in Vietnam has climbed to 51, according to an updated report released on October 3 by the government’s disaster management agency. 

The storm, which struck northern central Vietnam on September 29, has left a trail of destruction across multiple provinces and caused widespread humanitarian and economic disruption.

The latest figures also list 14 people still missing and 164 others injured. In addition to the human toll, authorities have significantly revised upward the estimate of property and economic damage, now valued at 15.9 trillion dong (approximately $603 million), up from a previous estimate of $435.8 million issued just a day earlier.

The typhoon brought powerful sea swells, high winds, and torrential rainfall, which severely affected roads, schools, administrative offices, and power grids. The resulting outages left tens of thousands of households without electricity, the report noted.

More than 230,000 homes were either damaged or submerged by floodwaters. Nearly 89,000 hectares of rice paddies and other agricultural crops were destroyed, compounding the blow to rural livelihoods. The government, however, reported no major damage to industrial properties.

Vietnam, a key hub for global manufacturing, has several major factories located near or along Bualoi’s path, including facilities operated by Foxconn, Formosa Plastics, Luxshare, and Vinfast.

In response to the disaster, Deputy Governor Pham Thanh Ha announced on October 3 that the State Bank of Vietnam has instructed commercial banks to consider restructuring or freezing loans for businesses impacted by the typhoon. The move is aimed at stabilising the economy and easing the financial burden on affected enterprises.

By Tamilla Hasanova