Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Cars pile up on Philippines streets after floods

  1. Typhoon Kalmaegi leaves trail of destruction in Vietnam and the Philippinespublished at 14:37 GMT

    Fatigued rescuers take a break after searching for people inside the rubble of a house damaged in a landslide due to heavy rains caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi in the PhilippinesImage source, Anadolu via Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Fatigues rescue workers take a break

    Aerial view of the damage caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi in Talisay, Cebu, Philippines. In the centre of the photo is a river and damaged homes on both sides of it.Image source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Destruction in Cebu Province, Philippines

    A worker, wearing a helmet, cleans broken glass at a hotel in VietnamImage source, AFP via Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The clean up begins at a hotel in Vietnam

    An emergency responder carries a dog in a flooded street in central PhilippinesImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Rescue efforts in central Philippines

    Families affected by typhoon Kalmaegi stay at a sports complex used as an evacuation centre in Cebu Province, Philippines.Image source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Families take shelter at a sports complex

  2. What's the difference between hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons?published at 14:17 GMT

    Hurricanes are tropical storms that form over the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeast Pacific.

    Cyclones are formed over the South Pacific and Indian Ocean.

    Typhoons are formed over the Northwest Pacific Ocean.

    Collectively, these storms are referred to as tropical cyclones.

    Tropical cyclones are characterised by very high wind speeds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges - short-term rises to sea-levels. This often causes widespread damage and flooding.

    They begin as atmospheric disturbances, external - such as, for example, a tropical wave, an area of low pressure where thunderstorms and clouds develop.

    As warm, moist air rises from the ocean surface, winds begin to spin. The process is linked to how the Earth's rotation affects winds in tropical regions just away from the equator.

  3. More than 260,000 soldiers on standby for rescue effortspublished at 13:58 GMT

    Sen Nguyen
    Reporting from Bangkok

    Vietnam's military has deployed more than 260,000 soldiers and personnel, along with over 6,700 vehicles and pieces of equipment, including six aircraft, to help with storm relief efforts.

    All units are on standby for search and rescue operations in response to the typhoon.

    Viettel, a military-owned conglomerate, has also announced that it will support the rescue efforts using fly-cams - technology that remains uncommon in Vietnam's disaster relief operations.

  4. Maximum sustained winds of 92 mph when typhoon hit Vietnampublished at 13:39 GMT

    The Vietnamese government's online portal is sharing figures about the typhoon's windspeeds when it made landfall a little earlier.

    It says there were maximum sustained winds of up to 92 mph (149 km/h).

  5. Flood and landslide risk for several hours, warns Vietnam forecasterpublished at 13:19 GMT

    Sen Nguyen
    Reporting from Bangkok

    People watch waves crashing on the beach ahead of Typhoon Kalmaegi in Cua Dai, Da Nang, central VietnamImage source, DAU TIEN DAT/EPA/Shutterstock
    Image caption,

    People watched waves crashing on a central Vietnam beach as the typhoon approached earlier today

    The Vietnamese national weather forecaster says hundreds of localities in seven cities and provinces are at risk of flooding and landslides in the next six hours, according to a notice issued earlier today.

    There have already been reports of damage from several provinces, including roofs torn off homes, shattered glass panels at hotels, and trees uprooted or snapped along city streets and rural roads by powerful gusts.

  6. Vietnamese media: Trees blocking roads as storm hitspublished at 12:43 GMT

    Typhoon Kalmaegi has just hit Vietnam's coastline, bringing winds of up to 149 kilometres (92 miles) per hour, according to reports in online Vietnamese newspaper VnExpress.

    Trees have fallen on main roads, blocking access, while windows in hotels in the Quy Non area have smashed.

    "The storm is on land, in the provinces of Dak Lak and Gia Lai," the environment ministry has said in a statement being quoted by various outlets, including the AFP news agency.

  7. Typhoon Kalmaegi makes landfall in Vietnampublished at 12:29 GMT
    Breaking

    Typhoon Kalmaegi has made landfall in central Vietnam.

    Stick with us, we'll bring you the latest in our next few posts.

  8. Back in The Philippines, rescue workers search for survivorspublished at 12:28 GMT

    Here are some more pictures of what's happening in Cebu City, in The Philippines, which was hit by Typhoon Kalmaegi after it swept the Central Visayas region.

    Emergency responders are continuing to work to find survivors at the site of a landslide, caused by the heavy rains.

    Mud has swept through buildings including branches of McDonalds, where workers are trying to shift the deluge.

    A group of emergecny responders wearing orange and yellow hard hats are working. Civilians stand and sit, wearing masks.Image source, EPA
    Four workers dress in black t-shirts and shorts remove mud from the floor of  McDonald's kitchen with buckets and dustpans.Image source, Reuters
  9. With Vietnam's ground saturated and rivers high, further rainfall will be an issuepublished at 11:40 GMT

    Matt Taylor
    BBC Weather

    Typhoon Kalmaegi may be hitting an area much further south than those affected by Typhoon Ragasa in September, but heavy rains in central Vietnam have not only caused extensive flooding in recent weeks - it's left the ground saturated and rivers high.

    Further rainfall will likely lead to more flood impacts quite rapidly.

    Forecasts predict between 200-400mm of rain to fall, with high resolution weather computer models hinting at the possibility of up to 600mm in a few spots.

    The remnants of the storm could also impact parts of Cambodia and eastern Thailand as it moves inland over the coming days.

    Forecasts of up to 150mm or rain are possible in parts of northern Cambodia and parts of Surin, Si Sa Ket and Ubon Ratchatani in Thailand.

    Green and blue map showing rainfall of more than 100mm in Vietnam. Laos, Cambodia and Thailand are also orientated.
  10. Watch: People in Vietnam prepare for Typhoon Kalmaegipublished at 11:33 GMT

    Media caption,

    Watch: Vietnam braces to be battered by Typhoon Kalmaegi

  11. Vietnam already battling deadly floods, with at least 35 killedpublished at 11:12 GMT

    A man wades through a flooded area in Hoi An, following deadly floods in central Vietnam.Image source, Reuters

    Ahead of Typhoon Kalmaegi's arrival, it's worth noting that Vietnam has already been battling with floods and record rains this week.

    Burst riverbanks have flooded some of the country's most popular tourist spots, including the Unesco-listed city of Hue and historic hotspot Hoi An - where residents have been pictured navigating the city via wooden boats after the Hoai river overflowed.

    At least 35 people have been killed in the deluge, according to a recent statement from the national disaster agency. Vietnam's environment ministry also says more than 100,000 homes have been flooded and more than 150 landslides reported.

    According to local media reports, PM Pham Minh Chinh held an online meeting to direct the emergency response.

    "We must reach isolated areas and ensure people have food, drinking water, and essential supplies. No one should be left hungry or cold," he's cited as saying.

  12. Forecasters issue warnings about risk of boats capsizingpublished at 11:06 GMT

    Sen Nguyen
    Reporting from Bangkok

    Seaside communities in Vietnam are expected to be hit hard.

    A sea-level rise of 4 to 6m (13 to 20ft) in at least two provinces could capsize boats and devastate fishing farms, according to a forecast issued at 16:00 local time (9:00 GMT) by a senior official at Vietnam’s National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.

    Meanwhile, deputy director Nguyen Xuan Hien says Typhoon Damrey - which struck Vietnam in 2017 with less intensity than Kalmaegi, but still caused severe damage to coastal communities - should serve as a warning, urging people to remain highly alert.

    Thailand is also bracing for the storm's impact. Local officials have warned of flash floods, landslides and river overflows.

  13. From Tuesday to now - the path of Typhoon Kalamaegipublished at 10:47 GMT

    Typhoon Kalmaegi is the 20th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year.

    As those in Vietnam now brace for its impact, let's take a look at its trajectory.

    • On Tuesday, the storm made landfall in the Philippines - it went on to flood whole towns and kill at least 114 people
    • Tens of thousands of people were evacuated, particularly from central areas including the island and tourist hotspot of Cebu - early on Thursday, Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared a state of emergency
    • The typhoon has gathered in strength and is expected to hit Vietnam later on Thursday. It could generate waves of up to 8m (26 ft) on the South China Sea, according to Vietnam's weather bureau
    • Thousands of people who live in coastal communities have been asked to evacuate ahead of its arrival, with Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha calling Kalmaegi a "very abnormal" storm that should be treated with urgency
    A map showing the expected path of Typhoon Kalmaegi across Southeast Asia. The typhoon is projected to move westward from the Philippines toward Vietnam and Thailand. Key points along the path are marked with red dots and times in GMT: 00:00 Tue near Cebu City in the Philippines, 00:00 Wed over the Philippines, 18:00 Wed over the South China Sea, 00:00 Thu farther west, 12:00 Thu approaching Vietnam, and 00:00 Fri over Vietnam. The map includes country labels for China, Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines, and a scale showing 200 km / 200 miles. Source: GDACS, data as of 6 November, 03:00 GMT.
  14. Vietnamese government: Airport closures will affect hundreds of flightspublished at 10:29 GMT
    Breaking

    We've an update on flights in Vietnam - something we reported on a little earlier.

    The country's government now says six airports in total have been told to close, ahead of the storm making landfall.

    In the statement, officials say the closure of five in particular will affect hundreds of flights in Vietnam. They are:

    • Buon Ma Thuot
    • Pleiku
    • Tuy Hoa
    • Chi Lai Phu Cat
    • Lien Khuong
  15. Where in Vietnam will Kalmaegi make landfall?published at 10:23 GMT

    The typhoon is expected to land just north of the coastal city of Quy Nhon, where thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate.

    Earlier today, a reporter from AFP news agency saw officials knocking on doors and warning people to flee.

    Some 100,000 households have been evacuated from the neighbouring province of Gia Lai, as of noon local time (05:00 GMT).

    As of a couple of hours ago, local authorities urged those who haven't evacuated to stay indoors.

  16. More than 50 flights in Vietnam cancelled or rescheduled - national airlinepublished at 10:14 GMT

    More than 50 flights in Vietnam have been cancelled or rescheduled, according to national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.

    About eight airports in the central region, including the international airport in Da Nang, have either suspended operations or are preparing to do so, aviation authorities say.

    We'll bring more on this we we have it.

  17. Rescue teams get to work while displaced Filipinos rest in shelter - latest imagespublished at 09:46 GMT

    Before making landfall in Vietnam, Kalmaegi left a trail of devastation in the Philippines - and at least 114 people dead.

    Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has declared a state of emergency - the threshold of which involves mass casualty, major damage to property, and disruption to means of livelihoods and the normal way of life for people in the affected areas.

    The typhoon, known locally as Tino, ripped through the populous island of Cebu, submerging entire towns and sweeping cars through the streets. Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated, others are resting in shelters.

    Here are some of the latest images we're seeing:

    Recue teamImage source, EPA/Shutterstock
    Image caption,

    Emergency responders work on retrieving a body at the site of a landslide in Cebu City

    Affected residents take shelter inside a classroom, at a school that has been converted into an evacuation centreImage source, Getty Images
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    Kalmaegi has displaced more than 400,000 in the Philippines

    A man walks along a muddy street where cars piled up after being swept away in floods brought by Typhoon Kalmaegi pile up at a subdivision in Bacayan, Cebu CitImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Streets are covered in mud and images show piles of cars

  18. Kalmaegi strengthens as it barrels towards Vietnampublished at 09:32 GMT

    Waves crash onto Quy Nhon beach as Typhoon Kalmaegi heads for central VietnamImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Waves crash onto Vietnam's Quy Nhon beach ahead of the storm's arrival

    Typhoon Kalmaegi passed through the Philippines on Thursday, and is now barrelling towards central Vietnam with increasing windspeeds.

    It is expected to make landfall imminently, bringing waves of up to 8m (26 ft), according to Vietnam's weather bureau.

    Thousands of people who live in coastal communities have been asked to evacuate, and Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has urged local officials to treat the storm with urgency.

    The AFP news agency says officials are knocking on doors and warning people to flee.

    We will bring you live updates as we get them. Stay with us.