Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila has battered the Solomon Islands with sustained winds of 115mph, making it the strongest cyclone recorded this far north in the Solomon Sea. The storm, which packed gusts up to 160mph, has caused widespread damage across Western, Choiseul and Isabel provinces.
Schools, clinics and homes have been damaged, and the government is prioritising humanitarian assistance. Approximately 120 people have been displaced, with nearly 73,000 affected overall. Maila is forecast to move south of Papua New Guinea over the weekend, bringing heavy rain and strong winds before heading into the Coral Sea.
From Sunday, the storm is expected to continue south-westwards towards the far north Queensland coast early next week. Meanwhile, a prolonged heatwave is engulfing much of Vietnam, with temperatures exceeding 40C in central regions. Tay Hieu and Con Cuong in Nghe An province recorded highs of 41.9C and 41.3C respectively between Monday and Wednesday.
The heat is expected to persist, with temperatures widely surpassing 35C and peaking near 40C in Nghe An and Hue. Rising electricity demand may strain power supplies, and low humidity is increasing the risk of fires. In South Korea, strong winds and torrential rain have lashed southern regions, including Jeju, Gwangju and Yeosu, since Wednesday.
Winds of 65mph were recorded on Udo island, and ferries have been suspended with about 250 flights cancelled. The Korea Meteorological Administration has warned of rainfall rates of 20-30mm per hour, potentially breaking Jeju's April daily rainfall record of 101.6mm set in 1998.
