(UPDATE) FOUR people were killed and thousands of residents were forced to flee their homes as Severe Tropical Storm Opong (international name: Bualoi) raced across central Philippines on Thursday.

Opong intensified into a tropical storm and was given the international name Bualoi, weather bureau PAGASA said in a bulletin early Wednesday. Now packing winds of 65 kph and gustiness up to 80 kph, ...