Vietnam braces for Typhoon Kajiki with mass evacuations, airport closures

Vietnam has evacuated over 300,000 people and shut airports as Typhoon Kajiki nears its central coast with winds of 166 kph. The storm, compared to deadly Typhoon Yagi, threatens floods, landslides, and heavy destruction. China’s Hainan Island also faced closures and evacuations, as authorities issued the highest emergency warnings.

Vietnam has evacuated more than 300,000 people and suspended dozens of domestic flights as Typhoon Kajiki barrels toward its central coast. The storm, with winds reaching 166 kph, is expected to make landfall on Monday afternoon, raising fears of flooding, landslides, and widespread destruction.

The government warned that Kajiki could rival last year’s Typhoon Yagi, which killed nearly 300 people and caused billions in damage. Airports in Thanh Hoa and Quang Binh provinces have been shut, while carriers Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet canceled multiple flights in anticipation of dangerous conditions.

Kajiki passed near China’s Hainan Island on Sunday, forcing the city of Sanya to close businesses, suspend public transport, and evacuate 20,000 residents. Vietnam’s agriculture ministry described the storm as “extremely dangerous,” warning fishermen, tourists, and aquaculture operators to halt all activities.

Officials said over 3,25,500 residents in coastal provinces would be relocated to schools and public facilities acting as emergency shelters. The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre reported waves as high as 9.5 meters in the Gulf of Tonkin and cautioned that the storm could intensify further before weakening near the continental shelf.

Vietnam is one of the world’s most storm-prone countries, with its long South China Sea coastline exposed to frequent tropical cyclones. Already, natural disasters in the first seven months of 2025 have killed or left missing more than 100 people, with economic losses surpassing $21 million.

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Authorities in China and Vietnam have both raised alerts to their highest levels, bracing for heavy rainfall, wind damage, and power outages. Scientists continue to warn that climate change is making storms more violent and unpredictable, heightening the risks for millions living in vulnerable coastal regions.