Around 5 p.m. on 24/6, 52-year-old Sau, a resident of Giang Lien Hamlet, Bich Hao Commune, formerly part of Thanh Chuong District, was on his roof with his wife and child, preparing for Typhoon Kajiki.

While filling nylon bags with water to secure the roof, the electrical cord connected to the water pump malfunctioned, electrocuting all three and rendering them unconscious.

Relatives discovered the scene, disconnected the power, and rushed the victims to the hospital. Sau died from severe electrical burns. His wife and child are currently receiving medical treatment.

According to Bich Hao Commune leaders, Sau's family includes seven children and relies on farming for income, facing financial hardship.

Nghe An residents fill plastic bags with water to secure their roofs against Typhoon Kajiki on the afternoon of 24/8. Photo: Duc Hung

Over the past two days, residents in various areas have been using water-filled nylon bags or sandbags to reinforce their roofs in anticipation of Typhoon Kajiki's landfall.

The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting reported that at 4 a.m. on 24/8, Typhoon Kajiki, with sustained winds of 166 km/h (Category 14) and gusts up to Category 17, was approximately 220 km from Nghe An, 200 km from Ha Tinh, and 180 km from northern Quang Tri. By 4 p.m., the typhoon maintained its intensity, moving west-northwest at 20 km/h, approaching the coast between Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri, before making landfall between Thanh Hoa and Nghe An. By tomorrow morning, the typhoon's center will be over central Laos, weakened to Category 8 with gusts up to Category 10, and subsequently dissipating into a tropical depression.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the typhoon could reach 162 km/h near the coast, while the Hong Kong Observatory predicted sustained winds of 155 km/h upon reaching Thanh Hoa and Nghe An.

Duc Hung