The death toll from Severe Tropical Storm Bualoi rose to 11 in the Philippines on Saturday as the cyclone bore down on Vietnam, authorities said.

Bualoi battered small islands in the centre of the Philippines on Friday, toppling trees and power pylons, ripping roofs off homes, unleashing floods and forcing 400,000 people to evacuate.

Among the worst hit was the tiny island of Biliran, where eight people died and two are missing, provincial disaster official Noel Lungay told AFP by telephone.

“There was widespread flooding and some roads remained under water early today,” he said.

“Evacuees are starting to return to their homes as the weather improves,” he added.

The office of civil defence in Manila earlier reported three other deaths on the nearby islands of Masbate and Ticao, includ

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