3 Dead, 400,000 Evacuated Amid Philippines Storm

The Philippines evacuated nearly 400,000 people on Friday as a powerful tropical storm battered the country, leaving at least three people dead and compounding the devastation left by Typhoon Ragasa just days earlier.

Authorities confirmed the deaths after Tropical Storm Bualoi swept through southern Luzon, striking the Bicol region with winds reaching up to 110 kilometers per hour. The storm caused widespread damage as walls collapsed and trees were uprooted, according to local civil defense officials.

The Philippines, one of the most disaster-prone nations in the world, faces an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually. The latest storm has intensified concerns over disaster preparedness as communities already reeling from Typhoon Ragasa confront renewed flooding, infrastructure damage, and mass displacement.

Emergency shelters have been opened across the affected provinces, with local officials urging residents in low-lying and coastal areas to remain vigilant against storm surges and landslides. 

Relief operations are underway, though authorities warned that access to some rural areas remains limited due to blocked roads and power outages.

Meteorologists noted that while Bualoi is expected to weaken as it moves inland, heavy rainfall and flash flooding continue to pose serious risks to vulnerable communities.