In the Philippines, nine people were killed and 25 went missing as a tropical storm struck the country, causing floods and landslides. Officials said tropical storm Nock-ten brought unusually heavy rains to the Pacific coast as the cyclone hovered over the southern section of the main island of Luzon on Tuesday afternoon. The government's civil defence administrator Benito Ramos said tens of thousand of people in the hardest-hit areas fled their homes.Ramos said the entire province of Albay is affected and there are reports of massive floods, landslides, and homes destroyed. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said at least 25 fishermen went missing while seven others were rescued at sea after big waves stirred up by Nock-ten struck their mainly small boats. The Council said about 20 local flights were cancelled. According the state weather bureau, Nock-ten should be over the South China Sea early Thursday after raking across the centre of Luzon just north of Manila on Wednesday.