Storm Vamco causes damage to the Philippines (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA) – Torrential rains from storm Vamco lashed provincesin the Philippines’ main Luzon island on November 11, leaving one dead andthree missing.
The Office of Civil Defence, the state disaster management body, said threefishermen were reported missing in Camarines Norte province, southeast ofManila.
Television footage showed that many areas in Luzon are under water due to stormVamco, the 22nd tropical cyclone that hit the country this year.
The local media also reported a landslide in Albay province and a rockslide inCatanduanes, an island province in the Bicol region stricken by super typhoonGoni early this month.
Storm Vamco slammed the Philippines as reliefworkers scramble to help hungry villagers rendered homeless by Goni.
The Philippines evacuated thousands in the coastal villages due to possiblestorm surge and flash flood.
Vamco made landfall in Polillo Island inQuezon province on November 12 morning. PAGASA, the state weather bureau, saidthe typhoon packed sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour and gusts of upto 195 kilometers per hour.
Philippine officials urged people to be vigilant, warning the typhoon willbring destructive winds and intense with at times torrential rainfall in vastareas in Luzon, including Metro Manila, the Bicol region, the provinces ofAurora and Quezon, and parts of Eastern Samar province in the centralPhilippines.
Storm Vamco blew into the country 11 daysafter super typhoon Goni, one of the strongest typhoons to hit the country thisyear, left a trail of destruction and killed at least 22.
Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is among the mostdisaster-prone countries in the world, including active volcanoes, frequentearthquakes, and an average of 20 typhoons a year, causing floods andlandslides.
The Philippines lost 463 billion PHP (roughly9.56 billion USD) in damage to natural disasters from 2010 to 2019, accordingto the Philippine Statistics Authority./.
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung called for drastic measures to minimise the damage set to be caused by Etau and Vamco, the 12th and 13th storms to hit the East Sea this year, at a meeting in Hanoi on November 10.
Philippine authorities have ordered thousands of residents in eastern coastal areas to evacuate ahead of storm Vamco, forecast to make landfall in the regions on November 11, just nearly two weeks after this year’s strongest storm Goni struck the country.
The Central Steering Committee on Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and the National Committee for Disaster Response, Search and Rescue have urged coastal central cities and provinces from Thanh Hoa to Binh Thuan to actively respond to Vamco, the 13th storm to hit the East Sea this year.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Storm Vamco causes damage to the Philippines (Photo: Reuters) 
