The Philippines has been tragically impacted by Tropical Storm Bualoi, which intensified into a typhoon just before making landfall late Thursday (September 25, 2025). This powerful weather system tore across the central islands and southern Luzon, leaving a path of destruction and claiming at least three lives. This latest disaster comes just days after Super Typhoon Ragasa devastated the northern Philippines, resulting in 14 deaths there before inflicting further casualties in Taiwan, where 15 people perished.
In anticipation of Tropical Storm Bualoi (known locally as Opong), government offices and educational institutions across many areas, including bustling Metro Manila, were proactively shut down. The storm initially made landfall in Eastern Samar in the central Philippines, then moved across Masbate and through the Bicol region in southern Luzon.
Tragically, disaster officials have confirmed three fatalities in Masbate province. One individual died after being struck by a falling tree, another drowned, and a third was killed when a wall collapsed due to the storm’s force.
Masbate Governor Antonio Kho made an urgent appeal to the central government for immediate assistance. During a media briefing, he highlighted the critical need for resources to clear debris, restore electricity, and reopen vital ports to facilitate aid delivery to affected communities.
Throughout other parts of Southern Luzon, local authorities reported extensive damage, including heavy rainfall, destructive winds, widespread power outages, and significant harm to both crops and essential infrastructure.
Among the hundreds of thousands who underwent precautionary evacuation was J.C. Borromeo, a Manila resident who sought refuge in an evacuation center with his three young children. “We live right by the river, and it becomes very dangerous when the water levels rise,” he explained, holding his baby.
Tropical Storm Bualoi, with maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (kmph) and gusts reaching 135 kmph, is now projected to regain typhoon strength as it continues its trajectory towards Vietnam.
The Vietnamese government has issued warnings, stating that the rapidly approaching storm is expected to strike the country’s northern and central coasts on Monday (September 29, 2025). This will trigger intense, torrential rains from September 28 to September 30.
In a statement released on Friday (September 26, 2025), Vietnam’s national weather agency cautioned that “Heavy rains could lead to severe flooding in low-lying areas, as well as urban and industrial zones.” They further noted that some regions could experience up to 150 mm of rainfall within a 24-hour period.