PATTAYA, Thailand – Authorities in Vietnam confirmed on Sunday (Nov. 30) that Typhoon Koto has killed at least three people and left one missing as the storm nears the country’s central coastline, unleashing violent winds and towering seas that sank cargo and fishing vessels already battered by weeks of flooding.
Heavy rains have pounded central Vietnam for nearly a month, swamping historic provinces, damaging tourist hubs, and causing economic losses worth millions of dollars. The region has struggled to recover from one deluge before the next arrives — and Typhoon Koto has only intensified the misery.
State media reported that maritime authorities ordered vessels to return to shore and airlines rerouted dozens of flights as high waves and gale-force winds hammered marine routes. Vietnam’s Ministry of Environment later confirmed that two vessels — a fishing boat in Khanh Hoa and a small barge in Lam Dong — sank in rough seas. Three fatalities have been verified, and search teams continue to hunt for a fourth victim.
By Sunday morning, Koto had weakened from a typhoon to a tropical storm, its center hovering more than 300 kilometers offshore. Meteorologists said the system was creeping forward and expected to weaken further before making landfall sometime next week.
Still, forecasters warned of intense rainfall — up to 150 mm — from Hue to Khanh Hoa between Tuesday and Wednesday, regions only now emerging from historic flooding that submerged streets, homes, and cultural landmarks.
Vietnam typically faces about 10 storms or typhoons each year, but Koto is the 15th storm of 2025, underscoring how violent weather patterns have surged. Natural disasters have already killed or left missing more than 400 people this year, causing over US$3 billion in damage, according to the National Statistics Office.
The Southeast Asian nation is especially vulnerable between June and September. Climate scientists warn that increasingly unstable weather — powered by human-driven climate change — is making extreme events more frequent, more destructive, and harder to predict.
Thailand remains on alert as Typhoon Koto approaches Vietnam, with authorities closely monitoring the storm’s outer rain bands that could bring isolated heavy showers to the upper South and the Gulf of Thailand. The Meteorological Department has warned residents, particularly in coastal provinces, to stay vigilant for sudden gusts, localized flooding, and rough seas, advising fishermen and vessels to exercise extreme caution until the system fully passes.
