Heavy rain and strong winds from Typhoon Kalmaegi have severely damaged railway and highway infrastructure across central Vietnam. Over 1,500 train passengers were forced to switch to road transport, while many routes remain submerged or blocked due to landslides.

Rail passengers rerouted as railway collapses

The storm caused widespread transportation paralysis in the Central Highlands and central coastal provinces.

The North-South railway suffered a massive landslide nearly 9 meters deep, forcing the transfer of more than 1,500 passengers to buses.

Many national highways are under more than a meter of water. Bridges were swept away, and fallen trees blocked roads.

Due to the impact of Typhoon Kalmaegi, which brought torrential rain and strong winds to the region from Quang Ngai to Tuy Hoa, significant damage was reported on both rail and road systems.

According to the Vietnam Railways Corporation, on November 7, around 1,500 passengers traveling on affected trains were rerouted by road from Tuy Hoa Station (Phu Yen) to Dieu Tri Station (Binh Dinh).

While waiting for transport, passengers were provided with free light meals and drinking water.

To support travelers, the railway sector allowed free ticket cancellations for all even-numbered trains passing through Tuy Hoa and odd-numbered trains via Dieu Tri on November 7 and 8.

Passengers were encouraged to complete check-in procedures ahead of scheduled departure times.

Preliminary reports revealed serious damage to the North-South railway, especially at Km1136+850, between Phuoc Lanh and Van Canh stations, where the roadbed was eroded to an average depth of 9 meters.

Other sections were washed out, with trees blocking tracks, broken signal poles, power outages, and disrupted communication systems, leaving the entire signaling network paralyzed.

Repair crews are working urgently to address the landslides. However, due to difficult terrain and fast-flowing water, it is still unclear when railway traffic can resume.

Highways remain blocked due to flooding and landslides

According to the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam on the morning of November 7, the storm caused heavy rain and strong winds from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak, damaging many national highways, expressways, and the Ho Chi Minh Trail Eastern route.

Across the Central and Central Highlands regions, trees, utility poles, traffic signs, and metal roofs were toppled and scattered across roads.

This was especially severe on National Highway 1 through Song Cau, Tuy An, and Dong Hoa (Phu Yen), and the Ho Chi Minh Trail Eastern route through Gia Lai and Dak Lak.

Some sections were completely submerged under 0.7 to 1.8 meters of water, rendering them impassable.

One of the most serious incidents occurred at Dak Po To Bridge (Km378+130) on the Ho Chi Minh Trail Eastern route in Gia Lai Province, where a 25-meter section of the bridge approach was washed away, with a depth of 8 meters.

Authorities erected barriers, diverted traffic, and deployed heavy equipment for urgent repairs, with efforts expected to restore traffic by the end of November 7.

On National Highway 1 through Quang Ngai, multiple locations reported landslides, broken electric poles, damaged guardrails, and potholes.

At Km1121+850, water levels remained 15–30 cm high, causing difficulties for vehicle movement.

Other affected roads include National Highways 40B (Da Nang), 15D, and 49C (Quang Tri), which remained flooded and partially landslidden. Restoration was expected within the day.

The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam mobilized more than 50 vehicles, tens of thousands of steel baskets, beams, and backup materials to speed up reopening efforts.

Officials also warned the public to avoid traveling through deeply flooded and landslide-prone areas.

Rain continues across the North Central and Central Coast regions.

Despite the urgency of repair operations, many roads remain impassable, posing ongoing risks to transportation and logistics.

Vu Diep