When Typhoon Yagi entered the East Sea on September 3, 2024, authorities and residents in northern Vietnam had about four days to prepare. In contrast, just two days after entering the East Sea and intensifying into a typhoon, Kajiki made landfall in north-central Vietnam, leaving little time for emergency response.

As of this morning (August 25), even though the eye of the storm had not yet reached land, central provinces were already experiencing torrential rain and violent winds, particularly in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh (former province), and Nghe An.

The Hon Ngu station (Nghe An) recorded level 8 winds with gusts reaching level 11. Hoanh Son (Ha Tinh) reported level 7 winds and level 9 gusts. Ky Anh (Ha Tinh) experienced similar intensity, while Cam Nhuong (Ha Tinh) recorded gusts up to level 8. Bach Long Vi station (Hai Phong) had level 7 winds with level 9 gusts, and Co To (Quang Ninh) recorded level 6 winds with gusts reaching level 9.

From last night to this morning, rainfall in the region from Ha Tinh to Quang Tri reached between moderate to very heavy levels, with some areas recording over 300mm.

Meteorologists at the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting have classified Kajiki as a “very unusual” typhoon. Its most alarming and dangerous characteristic is its extremely rapid movement.

The tropical depression entered the East Sea on the night of August 22 and quickly intensified into a storm. For more than two days, Kajiki maintained speeds of 20-25 km/h, and by the night of August 24, its cloud bands had already begun delivering strong winds and heavy rain to the north-central coast and northern coastal provinces.

This rapid pace left emergency services and communities with very limited time to prepare for the storm.

However, the more concerning development is that Kajiki is now slowing down near the coast, moving at about 15 km/h. Combined with an expansive and dense cloud system in the east, the storm’s prolonged land impact is expected to be severe.

At 10 a.m. today, the typhoon was sustaining wind speeds of level 13-14 (134-166 km/h), with gusts up to level 17. By the time it makes landfall in the Thanh Hoa - Ha Tinh area this afternoon, it is forecast to weaken slightly to level 12-13, with gusts reaching level 15.

This afternoon and evening, the northern part of Thanh Hoa will face winds of level 8-9, gusting to levels 10-11. The southern part of Thanh Hoa and northern Ha Tinh will experience level 10-11 winds, while areas near the eye of the storm will see winds at level 12-13, gusting to levels 15-16.

Southern Ha Tinh, Quang Tri, and coastal areas from Quang Ninh to Ninh Binh are expected to see winds of level 6-8, with gusts up to levels 9-10.

Rainfall between noon on August 25 and the end of August 26 is forecast to reach 200-400mm in Thanh Hoa to Quang Tri, with localized totals possibly exceeding 600mm. In the northern midlands and plains, including Lao Cai and Son La, rainfall may range from 100-150mm, with some areas experiencing more than 250mm.

Kajiki rivals Yagi in explosive intensification

While Typhoon Yagi previously set a record by intensifying eight levels within 48 hours, Kajiki’s escalation is nearly as dramatic.

When Kajiki entered the East Sea on the night of August 22, it was just a weak tropical depression (level 6-7). By the evening of August 24, as it traveled south of China’s Hainan Island, it had intensified to level 14, with gusts reaching level 17. Some areas in southern Hainan experienced wind speeds exceeding level 14 and gusts well above level 17.

In under two days, Kajiki rose nearly eight intensity levels, placing it alongside Yagi as one of the fastest-strengthening storms ever recorded in the East Sea. Experts attribute this to extremely warm sea surface temperatures, weak wind shear, and high humidity - ideal conditions for rapid cyclogenesis.

Kajiki is also expected to wreak havoc not just in Vietnam, but also in Laos and Thailand, after battering Hainan. Experts warn that after making landfall this afternoon and evening, Kajiki may go down as one of the most destructive storms in central Vietnam’s history.

The name “Kajiki,” proposed by Japan, was assigned by the World Meteorological Organization’s Typhoon Committee for the fifth storm of the 2025 East Sea typhoon season. It refers to a type of large, fast-swimming swordfish commonly found in Japanese waters.

Storm names in the Northwest Pacific and East Sea are determined by the Typhoon Committee, based on proposals from 14 member countries and territories. The list includes approximately 140 names, rotated periodically. If a storm causes significant damage or confusion, its name is permanently retired and replaced. Of the ten storm names proposed by Vietnam, four have already been retired: Linfa, Conson, Trami, and Saola.

PV