Matmo weakens into a storm after blowing across northern Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Typhoon Matmo weakened into a storm after barreling Friday across Philippines' mountainous north, where thousands were evacuated, in the latest emergency for a country still dealing with a deadly earthquake and two recent storms.

Matmo blew into the South China Sea before nightfall with sustained winds of up to 110 kilometers (68miles) and gusts of up 165 kph (102 mph) after crossing a vast agricultural valley and mountainous provinces, where floods were reported, officials said. It made landfall in northeastern Isabela province Friday morning.

There was no immediate reports of casualties but the country's weather agency warned that the fast-moving storm remained dangerous and could still generate “life-threatening" tidal surges of up to 3 meters (10 feet) and more downpours as it intensifies seasonal monsoon rains.

Matmo could strengthen back into a typhoon as it crosses over the sea toward southern China, forecaster said.

More than 8,000 villagers were evacuated and power outages were reported in Isabela and the nearby province of Aurora, officials said.

Schools suspended classes, and cargo and fishing vessels were prohibited from entering the rough seas along the path of the storm.

Hong Kong’s observatory said Matmo would pass by the territory on an expected path toward Hainan Island and mainland China's Guangdong province over the weekend.

Matmo, locally known as Paolo, was the 16th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year. The Southeast Asian archipelago nation is lashed by about 20 typhoons and storms a year and lies on the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” making it one of the countries most prone to natural disasters.

It did not directly affect the central province of Cebu further south where a 6.9-magnitude earthquake Tuesday night killed at least 68 people and injured more than 550 others, many in the coastal city of Bogo, which was hit hard along with outlying towns.

More than 5,000 houses were damaged, and some residents were staying in parks, grassy clearings and on sidewalks despite sporadic rain because aftershocks left them too fearful to return to their homes.

“We can’t blame people if they refuse to return home ... there were too many aftershocks and some were really strong,” Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon said in a news conference in Manila. “They don’t want to go anywhere with a roof."

About 1,000 tents would be set up with the help of the Red Cross in Bogo and outlying towns starting Saturday for thousands of residents, Dizon said.

An earlier storm, Bualoi, caused at least 37 deaths and displaced thousands in the Philippines last week before hitting Vietnam, where 49 people died and economic damages were estimated at $485 million.

Super Typhoon Ragasa, which at its peak was the world's strongest tropical cyclone of the year, caused several deaths in the Philippines as it passed by the country before landfall in southern China.

Associated Press journalists Aaron Favila and Joeal Calupitan in Bogo, Philippines, Aniruddha Ghosal in Hanoi, Vietnam, and Kanis Leung in Hong Kong contributed to this report.

This grab from video shows buildings and trees being blown during storm in Dinapigue, Isabela province, Philippines, Friday, Oct.3, 2025. (Benson Ingaran Milare via AP)

This aerial image shows flooding caused by rain following typhoon Bualoi in Lao Cai, Vietnam, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. (Do Tuan Anh/VNA via AP)

In this photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, rescuers evacuate a resident on a wheelchair as waves batter due to Tropical Storm Bualoi in San Agustin, Romblon province, Philippines on Friday Sept. 26, 2025. (Philippine Coast Guard via AP)

Business establishments that were damaged due to a recent strong earthquake lie at the Bogo city pier, Cebu Province, Central Philippines on Friday, Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Justin Foscue finally went deep for the first time in the big leagues with the Texas Rangers. That home run created a much happier highlight than the embarrassing blooper-reel moment he knows he will see often in the future after running into their two-time World Series MVP shortstop.

“Getting your first home run is a big deal. ... And I almost took out the star shortstop,” Foscue said. “A lot of ups and downs.”

Foscue, a first-round draft pick by the Rangers in 2020, hit his first career homer Saturday night in the Rangers’ 6-0 victory that snapped the Chicago Cubs’ 10-game winning streak.

“It was a big relief for me,” he said. “It is the best moment of my career so far.”

That came roughly 24 hours after he was playing second base and collided with Corey Seager, who was moving to his left to field a grounder up the middle. The ball squirted past as the infielders tumbled to the ground behind the bag. Neither was injured, but Foscue was charged with an error for causing the mishap in that 7-1 loss.

“Nobody feels worse (for) running into Corey Seager. Trust me, he did not want to do that,” Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said. “I think it was big of Corey to go up to him and say, it’s gonna be all right, you know, don’t worry about it.”

Seager actually texted Foscue after that game to let him know everything was good.

“That really meant a lot,” Foscue said. “I said I’m glad you’re OK.”

Foscue had entered the series opener against the Cubs as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning, and his RBI single produced the only Texas run. The fielding blooper to open the seventh led to three unearned runs for Chicago.

When the Rangers gave struggling Jake Burger a break Saturday night, Foscue started at first base.

“If (Seager) would have gotten hurt, then I don’t know if I would be here,” Foscue said after his 23th big league game since his debut in 2024. It was his fourth game this season since being recalled from Triple-A Round Rock after second baseman Josh Smith went on the injured list.

Instead, Foscue stayed and Schumaker was even making light of the fielding blooper with a joke about it during the hitters meeting before Saturday’s game.

“Kind of lightens it a little bit,” Foscue said. “Stuff like that happens in baseball, and I hate that I was the one, that I was part of it, and I cannot believe that it happened still. ... You can’t think about the day before. If you do that, you’re gonna be carrying a lot of baggage with you.”

In the clubhouse after hitting his first home, Foscue got a celebratory beer shower from his teammates.

“It’s how you bounce back,” Schumaker said. “That shows you what kind of person and what kind of character you have.”

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Texas Rangers' Justin Foscue runs the bases after hitting his first career home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers' Justin Foscue loads up while waiting for a pitch from the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers' Justin Foscue (14) reacts with manager Skip Schumaker, second from left, and staff after hitting his first career home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, May 9, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, left, and second baseman Justin Foscue collide while fielding a ball hit by Chicago Cubs' Nico Hoerner during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 8, 2026, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)