After Deadly Floods, Vietnam Braces for Typhoon Verbena

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vietnam is preparing to face Typhoon Verbena, which entered the country's waters on Wednesday, November 26. This comes as the central-southern parts of Vietnam are still struggling to recover from the deadliest flood in history.

Since the beginning of 2025, Vietnam has been hit by an incessant series of storms, floods, and landslides. These disasters have killed or displaced 409 people and caused economic losses exceeding VND85.099 trillion.

The latest disaster occurred in mid-November, when floods in the central region alone killed or caused 102 people to go missing and submerged more than 200,992 houses.

According to The Star, the government is now preparing to face Typhoon Verbena, internationally known as Koto, which entered the East Sea on Wednesday, November 26, with wind speeds of 89-102 km/h and gusts up to 149 km/h.

Forecasts predict that the storm will strengthen further as it moves across open waters, with wind speeds potentially reaching 103-117 km/h and gusts of 150-166 km/h.

As of Wednesday morning, Verbena was 540 kilometers east of Song Tu Tay Island, moving northwest at 20-25 km/h, and is expected to shift westward and weaken by the end of this week.

Provinces in the south-central region are racing to clean up mud, debris, and collapsed houses following the deadliest floods in recent years. The death toll and missing persons have reached 108, and over 202,000 homes have been damaged.

The economic losses from the floods have exceeded VND13,078 trillion (approximately US$496 million).

Vietnamese Government Heightens Alert

Military Zone 5 held an emergency meeting to prepare for Typhoon Verbena. Colonel Phan Dai Nghia ordered the suspension of non-essential activities and the deployment of emergency response forces.

Task forces have also been sent to Gia Lai, Dak Lak, and Khanh Hoa, the regions most severely affected by the recent floods.

The upcoming typhoon is expected to bring widespread heavy rain starting on Friday, November 28, 2025, raising concerns about potential landslides and flash floods in the already weakened region.

As reported by The Nation, Vietnam recorded 19 storms and tropical depressions this year, including 14 typhoons and five depressions, just one short of the 2017 record.

Authorities warned that the last months of 2025 remain at high risk, especially if Typhoon Verbena intensifies.

In response, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment of Vietnam is accelerating efforts to expand the rainfall monitoring network, enhance heavy rain forecasts, update hazard maps, and strengthen levee and reservoir systems.

Vietnamese officials have emphasized the need for region-specific flood risk simulations and stronger early warning systems, as current technology struggles to keep up with increasingly unpredictable weather.

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