Death Toll from Tropical Storm Bualoi Rises to 11 in Philippines, Vietnam Braces for Impact

The death toll from Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi climbed to 11 in the Philippines on Saturday as the cyclone moved toward Vietnam, authorities said.

The storm battered central Philippine islands on Friday, toppling trees and power lines, ripping roofs off homes, unleashing floods, and forcing about 400,000 people to evacuate.

Biliran was among the worst-hit islands, where eight people died and two remain missing, according to provincial disaster officer Noel Lungay. “There was widespread flooding and some roads remained under water,” Lungay said, adding that evacuees have begun returning home as conditions improve.

Three more deaths were confirmed on Masbate and Ticao islands, including two people crushed by debris, the civil defense office in Manila reported. Fourteen people remain missing, while more than 200,000 evacuees are still sheltering in evacuation centers.

Bualoi struck less than a week after Super Typhoon Ragasa left 14 people dead in the northern Philippines. The state weather bureau said Bualoi was packing sustained winds of 120 km/h as it crossed the South China Sea Saturday and is expected to approach central Vietnam by Sunday afternoon.

The Philippines, which endures around 20 storms each year, is one of the world’s most disaster-prone countries. Scientists warn that climate change is making tropical cyclones more intense and destructive.

The storms come amid growing public anger at a corruption scandal involving bogus flood-control projects that allegedly siphoned off billions of pesos. Thousands protested in Manila on Sunday, with peaceful demonstrations later giving way to clashes that saw police vehicles torched and a precinct headquarters vandalized.