Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi Claims 11 Lives in the Philippines Ahead of Vietnam Landfall

Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi has resulted in 11 fatalities in the Philippines as it advanced toward Vietnam, officials confirmed Saturday. The storm battered several small islands in the central Philippines on Friday, uprooting trees, toppling power lines, damaging homes, and triggering widespread floods that forced around 400,000 residents to evacuate.

Biliran Island was among the hardest hit areas, with eight confirmed dead and two individuals reported missing, according to Noel Lungay, provincial disaster official. He described the situation, stating, "There was widespread flooding and some roads remained submerged early today. Evacuees are beginning to return to their homes as the weather conditions improve."

The country’s civil defence office in Manila reported three additional deaths on the nearby islands of Masbate and Ticao. Two victims died after being struck by a falling tree and a collapsing wall, both caused by the storm’s strong winds. The total number of missing persons across the central Philippines stands at 14, though further details have not been disclosed. Meanwhile, more than 200,000 displaced individuals remain sheltered in evacuation centers along the storm’s path.

Bualoi follows closely on the heels of Super Typhoon Ragasa, which tragically claimed 14 lives in northern parts of the Philippines earlier this month.

As of Saturday, Philippine weather authorities report that Bualoi is moving over the South China Sea with typhoon-strength winds of 120 kilometers (75 miles) per hour. The storm is forecast to approach the coast of central Vietnam by Sunday afternoon.

The Philippines faces an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, often impacting vulnerable and impoverished communities with limited capacity for disaster resilience. Experts warn that climate change, driven by human activities, is intensifying these tropical systems.

The storms have compounded tensions in the country, where public outrage has grown following revelations of fraudulent flood-control projects allegedly costing taxpayers billions. Thousands participated in peaceful protests on Sunday to express their frustration, though some demonstrations escalated into violent clashes, resulting in police vehicles being set on fire and damage to police station windows.