MANILA – The Philippines is once again grappling with the devastating aftermath of a tropical storm. On Friday, Tropical Storm Bualoi tore through the islands, leaving at least four people dead and forcing tens of thousands to evacuate their homes in communities already vulnerable to landslides and floods after relentless typhoons. This recent storm, locally named Opong, has unfortunately joined a series of powerful Pacific weather systems impacting Asia. Though Bualoi had weakened slightly after its overnight landfall, its arrival came just after Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest typhoons in years, claimed at least 25 lives across the northern Philippines and Taiwan, primarily due to severe flooding, before eventually fading over Vietnam after hitting China.
Bualoi first struck the Philippine town of San Policarpo in Eastern Samar province late Thursday. It arrived with sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (68 mph), which promptly cut power to numerous towns and villages. The storm’s fury also triggered widespread flooding and at least two minor landslides, according to reports from the national disaster-mitigation agency. In anticipation of the storm’s impact, over 73,000 residents from Eastern and Northern Samar provinces sought refuge in government-run emergency shelters, provincial officials confirmed.
All four confirmed fatalities occurred in the central island province of Masbate. Tragically, three individuals died from a falling tree, a collapsed wall, and flying debris respectively, while a fourth person was struck by lightning on Thursday night, officials reported. The situation remains critical, as Masbate Governor Ricardo Kho explained in a news conference: ‘We desperately need clearing operations because most of our road networks are impassable for vital food and health assistance. We also require urgent help to reopen our ports so we can receive aid from other provinces.’ Images from the disaster show courageous rescuers wading through rising floodwaters to evacuate residents, highlighting the immediate and dire need for assistance.
Notably, Bualoi marks the 15th tropical cyclone to batter the Philippines this year, a stark reminder of the region’s susceptibility to such weather events. This rapidly moving storm, characterized by a rain and wind band extending approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles) from its core, was tracking northwest. Forecasters predict it could sweep over densely populated coastal areas south of Manila later on Friday before moving into the South China Sea. There’s also a possibility it could regain strength and intensify back into a typhoon, heading towards Vietnam.
The timing of this latest storm is particularly poignant for the Philippines. It comes amidst ongoing investigations into a widespread corruption scandal involving flood control and other infrastructure projects. Several lawmakers, including allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., have been implicated in allegations of receiving substantial kickbacks, which reportedly funded extravagant lifestyles. This scandal has ignited public outrage and fueled protests across the Southeast Asian nation, which frequently endures deadly floods and typhoons, making the misuse of disaster-related funds even more infuriating.