Although Wutip did not make landfall, its circulation caused prolonged heavy rain, pushing rivers to peak flood levels and resulting in significant human and material losses in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai provinces.

In Quang Tri, heavy rain continued to pour down across many localities in the province on June 13, with rainfall ranging from 150 to 470mm. Rising river levels led to flooding in residential areas along local rivers. The floods also caused two fatalities, one due to electrocution and the other due to drowning.

“As of June 13 afternoon, we had evacuated 219 households with 1,046 residents and 282 livestock to safe areas. Heavy rain is still ongoing, and rising river levels have caused some homes to be submerged more than halfway underwater,” said Le Ba Hung, head of the Lao Bao township administration.

To date, nearly 500 households in Quang Tri have been evacuated or relocated due to the impact of Typhoon Wutip. Across the province, 18,337 hectares of rice fields and nearly 1,000 hectares of vegetables have been inundated. In addition, 13 hectares of shrimp farming ponds have overflowed.

In nearby Quang Binh province, heavy downpours cut off many roads in Dong Hoi city and Kien Giang town. Several spillways in Thuong Trach commune of Bo Trach district were flooded over 1 meter deep in some places. Residents in Con Cung and Chuon Tai villages of Le Thuy district were isolated as rising floodwaters overflowed a temporary bridge. Four people were swept away by the floodwaters and are still missing.

Meanwhile, many low-lying areas in Hue City, such as Quang Dien, Huong Tra, and Phong Dien, remained deeply flooded on June 13. Several inter-village roads were submerged by 1 to 2m, forcing residents to travel by boats and canoes. Landslides occurred at multiple locations, including the La Son - Tuy Loan Expressway, the Ho Chi Minh Highway, and National Highway 49. Some affected roads have already been repaired, while others have been barricaded to ensure safety.

To date, 35 households in Phu Loc, Phong Dien, and A Luoi districts have been evacuated from landslide-prone areas to safe locations.

Mai Van Khiem, director of the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, described the recent rainfall and flooding in Central Vietnam at this time of year as unusual and rare.

Observation data show that, for the period from 7:00 p.m. on June 10 to 4:00 p.m. on June 13, the provinces from Quang Binh to Quang Nam experienced heavy to extremely heavy rain, with total rainfall generally ranging from 300 to 450mm. Some stations recorded even higher amounts, between 450 and 700mm, and several stations logged exceptionally high totals, such as 1,278mm in Hue, 807mm in Da Nang and 772mm in Quang Tri.

“On rivers such as the Kien Giang, Thach Han, Bo, and Vu Gia, flood peaks have been recorded at the highest levels in the past 30 years – the levels that have never occurred before during the average June period. This is an exceptional event,” Khiem told VOV.

“Perhaps it is no longer "unusual", as record-breaking heavy rains during the non-rainy season are becoming increasingly common,” added the meteorologist.

Rain is now beginning to ease, and river levels are receding, but meteorologists still warn about a high risk of flash floods and landslides in central Vietnam.

According to the latest storm update from the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, at 4:00 a.m. on June 14, Wutip was located swirling over the eastern part of the Gulf of Tonkin, about 150 km east of Bach Long Vi Island. It was packing maximum sustained winds of between 89 – 117kph, with gusts reaching more than 130kph near its centre.

The Hainan Meteorological Agency reported, Wutip has made landfall in Dongfang city of China’s Hainan province, with maximum sustained winds reaching 100kmh.

Typhoon Wutip triggers widespread flooding across central Vietnam

VOV.VN - Although typhoon Wutip did not make direct landfall in Vietnam, its circulation has brought prolonged heavy rain, across central provinces, triggering severe flooding, landslides, and substantial damage.