Vietnam and China are ramping up emergency measures as Typhoon Kajiki gathers strength in the South China Sea, threatening millions of people with destructive winds and heavy rainfall.
Vietnamese authorities have announced plans to evacuate more than 586,000 residents from central provinces including Thanh Hoa, Quang Tri, Hue, and Danang, where the storm is expected to make landfall early Monday.
The government has also ordered boats to remain ashore, while seven coastal provinces banned vessels from leaving port on Sunday. National carrier Vietnam Airlines cancelled at least 22 flights, and budget airline Vietjet confirmed delays and cancellations.
At 06:00 GMT, Vietnam’s weather agency reported the storm was about 500 kilometres off the central coast, moving west at 20 kilometres per hour, with winds reaching 149 kph.
China’s National Meteorological Center warned that Kajiki could intensify further, with wind speeds climbing to 170 kph.
In China, the southern resort city of Sanya shut tourist attractions, businesses, supermarkets, and public transport, while suspending classes and construction projects.
Authorities issued a red typhoon alert, the highest warning in the country’s system, and ordered vessels to stop operating in local waters. Officials urged residents to prepare for “worst-case scenarios,” stressing the need for strict vigilance to minimise casualties.
Meteorologists forecast torrential downpours and powerful winds across Hainan, Guangdong, and Guangxi provinces, with some parts of Hainan expected to receive up to 400 millimetres of rainfall.
Sanya, one of China’s top holiday destinations with 34 million tourist visits last year, has raised its emergency response to the highest level.
Both countries have already faced record-breaking rainfall and weather extremes this year. In July alone, natural disasters including floods and droughts caused direct economic losses of 52.15 billion yuan ($7.28 billion) in China, leaving nearly 300 people dead or missing.
Vietnamese officials warned that Kajiki may be as devastating as Typhoon Yagi, which struck less than a year ago, killing 300 people and causing $3.3 billion in damages.
