Storm batters Philippines

Manny Mogato in Reuters: Ten people died and five fishermen were missing in the central Philippines as storm Nock-Ten battered the main island of Luzon, suspending schools and grounding domestic flights and ferries, local officials said on Tuesday The weather bureau raised storm alert levels in nearly 30 provinces in northern Philippines as Nock-Ten gained strength and speed, bringing heavy rains, and was spotted about 50 km (31 miles) northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte on Luzon.

Many areas in the coconut-growing Albay and Camarines Sur provinces in the central Bicol region were inundated, with some areas submerged in chest-deep flood waters, said Joey Salceda, governor of Albay province in the central Philippines. No damage to rice fields has been reported but the storm is expected to pass through a major rice production province on Wednesday.

Packing center winds of 75 kph (47 mph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph, Nock-Ten is moving west-northwest at 15 kph and is expected to make landfall early on Wednesday, said Graciano Yumul of the weather bureau, warning of floods and landslides....