Typhoon Kalmaegi wreaks havoc on tourism businesses in Vietnam's Quy Nhon

By noon on Nov. 7, hours after the typhoon weakened into a tropical depression and then dissipated into a low-pressure area, Khoa Tan, owner of the Moc restaurant chain on Nguyen Thi Dinh Street, and his staff were still clearing the wreckage.

Two of his four restaurants were almost completely destroyed while the remaining two suffered severe damage.

Tan estimated the total damage at around VND4 billion (US$153,000).

Tan's restaurant in Quy Nhon, central Vietnam, is destroyed by strong winds from Typhoon Kalmaegi. Photo by VnExpress/ Thanh Tung

Despite careful reinforcement, strong winds around 8:00 p.m. on Nov. 6, an hour after the storm hit, tore off corrugated roofs and shattered glass walls.

He expects it will take more than a month to repair the two restaurants.

Along coastal roads such as Xuan Dieu and Nguyen Hue, numerous restaurants and hotels had roofs blown off and signs ripped away.

Waves washed ashore debris, including corrugated iron sheets.

On Nguyen Trung Tin Street, the Hoai Huong seafood restaurant chain was heavily damaged and its fish pond destroyed.

"I’ve lived here for 40 years and this is the worst storm I’ve ever seen," said the owner of Hoai Huong restaurant.

Several high-end coastal resorts were also hit hard.

A representative of a five-star resort in Bai Dai, Ghenh Rang Ward, said large waves flooded interiors and shattered multiple tempered glass panels.

"The resort has been operating for more than 10 years and has never suffered damage of this severity," the representative said.

In Nhon Ly Commune, about 20 km from the city center, Tuan, owner of Chai Village Hotel, reported roughly VND100 million in losses.

Chai Village Hotel in Quy Nhon, central Vietnam, is heavily damaged after Typhoon Kalmaegi. Photo courtesy of the hotel

"As long as people and property remain, we’ll do our best to recover," he said.

Typhoon Kalmaegi, the 13th storm to affect Vietnam this year, began as a tropical depression over the central Philippines on Nov. 1.

Many parts of Gia Lai and Dak Lak, Vietnam's coffee capital, were also heavily damaged.

Before entering the East Sea, Typhoon Kalmaegi swept through the Philippines, killing at least 188 people and was called by international media as "the most catastrophic storm in Asia in 2025."