House roofs blown off, trees fall as typhoon Kalmaegi hits central Vietnam

Typhoon Kalmaegi has raged the central Vietnam provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak, but it is weakening rapidly due to friction with the terrain.

- 11:30 p.m. Thursday, November 6

Typhoon Kalmaegi has raged the Gia Lai-Dak Lak region, but it is weakening rapidly due to friction with the terrain, said Nguyen Van Huong, head of the weather forecast department under the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

“It is forecasted that after 1 a.m. on Friday, November 7, the typhoon will weaken into a tropical depression. However, its circulation will continue to cause moderate to heavy rain in Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak provinces," Huong told local media at 11:30 p.m. Thursday.

"With rainfall reaching 100-200 mm by 7 a.m. on Friday, rivers in these three provinces are likely to reach alert level 2 - alert level 3, with some places even above alert level 3, along with the risk of flash floods and landslides," he added.

- 10:15 p.m., the center of Kalmaegi is in Central Highlands

Nguyen Van Huong, head of the weather forecasting department under the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said that at 10:15 p.m. Thursday, the center of the typhoon was in the Central Highlands. The typhoon intensity is level 9 - down 3 levels compared to 7 p.m.

However, on the satellite cloud image, it can be seen that the typhoon vortex is still round, sharp and the typhoon spiral is still relatively clear.

It is forecasted that in the next one to two hours, the typhoon wind will decrease to level 8, then weaken into a tropical depression and gradually weaken.

- At 10 p.m., the typhoon weakens to level 9-10

At 10 p.m Thursday, typhoon Kalmaegi weakens to level 9-10 (75-102 km/h), gusting to level 12.

- At 8 p.m., Kalmaegi weakens to level 12

At 8 p.m., the typhoon center is on the mainland of Dak Lak-Gia Lai. The typhoon intensity continues to weaken to level 12 (118-133 km/h), gusting to level 15.

Due to the typhoon's influence, in An Nhon (Gia Lai), strong winds of level 10, gusting to level 14; Phu Cat (Gia Lai) strong winds of level 9, gusting to level 13; Hoi An (Danang) strong winds of level 8, gusting to level 10; Dung Quat (Quang Ngai) strong winds of level 8, gusting to level 9...

It is forecasted that in the next three hours, the typhoon will move mainly in the west-northwest direction, at a speed of about 25-30km/h and continue to weaken further.

Typhoon Kalmaegi will cause strong winds above level 8 for at least the next 2-3 hours

Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, said that by 7 p.m. Thursday, the center of the typhoon had entered the mainland of Gia Lai-Dak Lak.

Since Thursday afternoon, the typhoon has caused very strong winds in the coastal areas of Quang Ngai, Gia Lai, and Dak Lak. Some hydro-meteorological stations have observed strong winds of level 10, gusting to level 14 - a wind level that is dangerous to all structures, especially non-solid houses.

The coast from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak also has waves and high water levels. In the provinces and cities from Hue to Dak Lak, there is very heavy rain, in some places it has rained nearly 200 mm.

- 7 p.m

At 7 p.m., typhoon Kalmaegi makes landfall in Gia Lai and Dak Lak, with the strongest wind speed at level 12-13, gusting to level 15.

It is forecasted that in the next three hours, the typhoon will move mainly in the West and Northwest direction, with a speed of about 30 km/h.

- 6 p.m Thursday

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, the center of typhoon Kalmaegi is on the coastal area of the central Vietnam provinces of Gia Lai and Dak Lak. The strongest wind near the center of the typhoon is level 13 (134-149 km/h), gusting to level 16 - down two levels compared to early Thursday afternoon.

It is forecasted that from now until 10 p.m., the center of the typhoon will make landfall, which is also the time when the typhoon's winds are at their strongest.