Vietnam evacuated thousands of people from coastal areas as Typhoon Kalmaegi, already among the world’s deadliest cyclones this year, closed in on the country’s storm-battered central belt on Thursday.

Kalmaegi cut a path of destruction through the Philippines this week, killing at least 140 people and leaving another 127 missing after unleashing devastating floods.

It was forecast to crash into central Vietnam late Thursday, according to the national weather bureau, threatening waves as high as eight metres (26 feet) and powerful storm surges.

“This is a huge typhoon with terrible devastating capacity,” said Pham Anh Tuan, a top official in Gia Lai province, where state media said over 7,000 people had been evacuated as of Wednesday night.

The typhoon is looming as central Vietnam sti

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