Storm Nock-Ten Slams Philippines 納坦颱風襲菲 傷亡慘重

  At least 24 people are dead in the Philippines following waves of flooding rain, high wind and landslides unleashed by Tropical Storm Nock-Ten.

  The storm's adverse weather caused disruption to travel by land, sea and air.

  Hardest hit was the Bicol region, which includes Albay and Camarines Norte provinces, according to China Daily. This area suffered at least 20 dead, of which eight succumbed to landslides, the report said.

Floodwaters swamped the houses of about half million people, much of the population in eastern Albay.

  Along with the 24 dead, at least nine others were missing, according to China Daily. Most were reportedly fishermen caught at sea in the storm's squally weather.

  Downpours pelted Manila Tuesday into Wednesday, though the worst of the storm's torrential rain and strong winds skirted the city to the north.

  Heavy rain, which persisted on the island of Luzon into Wednesday, began in east-central Philippines on Monday, as the tropical storm bore down on Catanduanes and southeastern Luzon.

  Nock-Ten returned to sea and even briefly became a typhoon before a second landfall Tuesday in Luzon, northeast of Manila. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that Nock-Ten made this second landfall over Dinalungan, Aurora, in north-central Luzon.

  PAGASA, which has its own list of names, has dubbed the storm Juaning.

  Making its way overland, aimed for the South China Sea, Tropical Storm Nock-Ten reached the northwest shore of Luzon on Wednesday.

  Rainfall since the first of the week reached almost 21 inches at Virac, on Catanduanes, and more than 22 inches at Legazpi (Legaspi), Luzon, according to data accessed by AccuWeather.com early on Wednesday. These amounts are more than twice the average rainfall for the month of July, climatological records show.

  Beyond the Philippines, Nock-Ten will track over the open South China Sea before a likely late-week landfall on southernmost China and northern Vietnam. The storm could become a typhoon for a second time before its next landfall.

  In the storm's aftermath, the weather will improve Thursday, although there will still be showers and thunderstorms with localized heavy rain.