Vietnam’s Gia Lai declares state of emergency after storm Kalmaegi devastates 65 communes

Duong Mah Tiep, vice-chairman of the Gia Lai People’s Committee, on Monday signed a decision announcing the emergency status in 65 out of 135 communes and wards across the province, mostly in the former Binh Dinh Province area, which bore the brunt of the storm.

As of noon the same day, authorities reported more than 60,000 homes damaged or destroyed, including 1,035 homes completely collapsed, over 7,750 severely damaged, and more than 8,000 heavily affected.

The storm also ravaged 230 fishing vessels, 496 hectares of aquaculture, and more than 590 floating cages.

Nearly 14,000 hectares of crops were lost.

The province confirmed two deaths and 12 injuries linked to the storm.

Numerous public facilities, including transportation, irrigation, education, healthcare, cultural, telecommunications, and power infrastructure, suffered various degrees of damage.

Urban areas saw widespread tree falls and the destruction of public works, leaving many neighborhoods nearly leveled.

With the emergency declaration, Gia Lai will mobilize maximum resources for rescue and recovery operations, prioritizing the protection of lives and the health of residents.

Local authorities are tasked with rapidly restoring key infrastructure such as roads, power grids, irrigation systems, schools, medical facilities, and communication networks to stabilize daily life and production.

Temporary shelters will be arranged for displaced families, ensuring access to food, clean water, and basic necessities.

Officials have also been instructed to continue monitoring risks of landslides, electrical hazards, and possible follow-up disasters in the wake of the storm.

Kalmaegi, the 13th storm to strike the East Vietnam Sea this year, wreaked havoc on several central provinces, especially coastal communities in Gia Lai and Dak Lak, upon its landfall in the areas late on Thursday last week.