Eight dead and 17 missing as Typhoon Bualoi hits Vietnam

Typhoon Bualoi tore through Vietnam’s coast on Monday, killing eight people and leaving 17 others missing as strong winds and rain damaged houses, knocked out power and flooded roads before the storm lost some strength as it headed toward Laos

Typhoon Bualoi tore through Vietnam’s coast on Monday, killing eight people and leaving 17 others missing as strong winds and rain damaged houses, knocked out power and flooded roads before the storm lost some strength as it headed toward Laos.

Bualoi had moved along the country’s northern central coastline before making landfall early Monday, causing waves as high as 26 feet, the national weather agency said.

Seventeen fishermen were missing after huge waves hit two fishing boats off Quang Tri province, while another fishing boat lost contact during the storm, the government’s disaster management agency said.

“I stayed awake the whole night fearing the door would be pulled off by strong winds,” said Ho Van Quynh from Nghe An province. His neighbors said they spent the night trying to protect their homes as the power to their apartment building went out.

The aftermath of Typhoon Bualoi in Nghe An province on Monday.Thai An / AFP via Getty Images“I’ve witnessed many storms, and this is one of the strongest,” said Nguyen Tuan Vinh, 45.