In the Philippines, at least nine people were reported dead or missing in massive floods in the capital, Manila as a tropical storm lashed the eastern side of the country on Saturday. Two persons including a child were killed in a wall collapse in a suburb of Manila, while four children drowned in a flood. Three others were swept away by a swollen river outside the capital. The weather station said the tropical storm, bearing winds of 85 kilometres per hour with gusts of 100 kilometres per hour hit the main island of Luzon near the town of Infanta. The storm is expected to move west, across the main island of Luzon, before exiting the country early on Sunday. Meanwhile, the civil defence office said flooding was reported in many districts with waters in some areas reaching as high as the rooftops of one-storey buildings. It said as many as 700 people were forced to flee their homes and take refuge in evacuation centres due to rising waters. Local officials made appeals on air, asking rescue agencies to send rubber boats to rescue stranded people.