MANILA: The Philippine islands were struck by yet another powerful tropical storm on Friday, leading to at least four deaths and prompting the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents from communities already vulnerable to landslides and floods, areas frequently hit by devastating typhoons.
An Associated Press image shows rescuers evacuating a resident as floodwaters surge due to Typhoon Bualoi.
Tropical Storm Bualoi, though it weakened after making landfall overnight, represents the latest in a series of severe Pacific storms impacting Asia. It follows closely on the heels of Typhoon Ragasa, one of the region’s strongest in years, which tragically claimed at least 25 lives in the northern Philippines and Taiwan primarily due to extensive flooding, before eventually moving over China and dissipating above Vietnam.
Bualoi first hit the Philippine town of San Policarpo in Eastern Samar province late Thursday. It arrived with sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour (68 miles per hour), immediately plunging towns and villages into darkness by cutting power. The storm also caused widespread flooding and triggered two smaller landslides, according to a statement from the country’s disaster-mitigation agency.
As the storm approached, over 73,000 individuals from Eastern Samar and Northern Samar provinces sought refuge in government-operated emergency shelters, provincial officials confirmed.
All four confirmed fatalities occurred in the central island province of Masbate. Officials reported that three victims were tragically killed by a falling tree, a collapsed wall, and falling debris respectively, while a fourth person died after being struck by lightning on Thursday night.
Masbate Governor Ricardo Kho emphasized the urgent need for clearing operations during a news conference, stating, “Most of our road networks are not really passable for food and health assistance to pass.” He further pleaded for aid to reopen ports quickly, which would enable the province to receive crucial assistance from other regions.
Bualoi, known locally as Opong, marks the fifteenth tropical cyclone to impact the Philippines this year, highlighting a particularly active and challenging storm season.
The rapidly moving storm, boasting a rain and wind band extending approximately 450 kilometers (280 miles) from its core, was tracking northwest. Forecasters in the Philippines predict it could sweep over densely populated coastal areas just south of the capital, Manila, later on Friday before making its way into the South China Sea. There is also a possibility it could regain strength and evolve back into a typhoon as it heads towards Vietnam.
This latest natural disaster strikes the Philippines during a politically sensitive period. Ongoing investigations have linked several lawmakers, including allies of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., to a corruption scandal involving critical flood control and infrastructure projects. The allegations of substantial kickbacks, reportedly used to fund extravagant lifestyles, have ignited widespread public outrage and protests across this Southeast Asian nation, which is already frequently devastated by deadly floods and typhoons.