The storm crisscrossed Vietnam on Friday, November 7, claiming five lives after devastating the Philippines earlier in the week. Authorities raised the death toll to 188, Le Monde newspaper reported.
Kalmaegi struck Vietnam late Thursday after bringing record rains and flash floods to the central Philippines, washing away vehicles, containers and homes.
Vietnam’s Ministry of Environment reported that five people were killed and 57 houses were destroyed in Gia Lai and nearby Dak Lak province.
Approximately 3,000 other homes lost their roofs or were damaged, and 11 boats or ships sank.
AFP reporters saw rescue workers, soldiers and residents clearing debris, removing uprooted trees and recovering metal roofs blown off by strong winds along Quy Nhon Beach in Gia Lai.
By Friday morning, authorities were still assessing the damage as power outages and communications failures affected several coastal areas.
Service to about a third of the affected areas has been restored, officials said.
Karmaegi weakened as it moved northwest toward Laos, but Vietnam’s National Meteorological Department forecast continued heavy rain along the central coast.
Thailand also issued a warning for heavy rain and flooding starting in the northeast and spreading across the country.
In the Philippines, Karmaegi first struck Cebu and Negros islands before returning to the sea.
Master’s degree/PR