Typhoon Damrey rocks Vietnam with historic force, AIR Worldwide finds

Damrey formed near the east coast of the Philippines (where it was known as Typhoon Ramil) and made landfall there as a tropical depression on November 1, local time. (Photo: AP Photo/Hau Dinh)

The strongest typhoon to hit southern Vietnam in 16 years made landfall in Khanh Hoa Province in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 4, according to catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide.

Typhoon Damrey was maintaining maximum wind speeds of 93 mph at landfall. Areas from the south-central coast of Vietnam southward to Vng Tàu were directly impacted by the storm system. Wind damage near the landfall area was significant, causing ripped off roofs, knocked down electricity poles, downed trees, and widespread power outages. Interacting with a cold front from the north, Damrey caused torrential rain across the entire central and south-central region, with flooding and landslides reported. Further impacts are predicted as rain is expected to continue through Wednesday, and many rivers and lakes are reaching capacity.