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At least two reported deaths and 26 fishermen missing at sea when the strong typhoon swept the central coast of the country.
At least two people were reportedly killed and another 26 missing when Typhoon Molave struck central Vietnam, knocking down trees and ripping off roofs in one of the worst destruction seen in years.
Authorities relocated approximately 375,000 people to safety, canceled hundreds of flights and closed schools and beaches before the typhoon, which made landfall south of Danang with winds of up to 145 km / h (90 mph).
State media said at least two people died in Quang Ngai province while trying to protect their homes from the storm.
“The people of Vietnam are tough, but this is one of the worst destruction ever seen in many areas,” said Vietnam Red Cross Society President Nguyen Thi Xuan Thu.
“The incessant storms and floods are taking a devastating toll, further destroying livelihoods and isolating millions of people.”
Authorities were also searching for 26 missing fishermen, and the storm, Vietnam’s fourth this month, brought waves as high as six meters (20 feet) when power was cut across the region.
A woman cleans debris outside a restaurant next to uprooted trees in Quang Ngai province, central Vietnam [Manan Vatsyayana/AFP]Fishing ban
Navy and surveillance ships were deployed to search for the crew members after their two ships disappeared after they attempted to dock, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said.
The fishing ban has been in effect since Tuesday, while all airports in the area were closed until further notice.
The typhoon follows weeks of severe flooding and landslides that have killed at least 130 people and damaged or destroyed more than 310,000 homes, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC ).
About 1.2 million people were in “grave danger” and in need of help, the International Federation warned.
“These relentless storms are yet another example of the devastating impact of climate change,” said Red Cross spokesman Christopher Rassi.
Vietnam is prone to natural disasters in the rainy season between June and November, and the central coastal provinces are often affected, but storms have worsened markedly in recent years.
Molave hit the Philippines on Saturday and Sunday and the death toll rose to nine on Tuesday.
Water surrounds houses after Typhoon Molave made landfall, in Hoi An, Quang Nam province [EPA]
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