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At least 10 people died and three others were missing after Typhoon Goni, the world's strongest typhoon this year, barrelled through the south of the Philippines' main island of Luzon, . Residents stand next to cars damaged when a gymnasium collapsed at the height of Typhoon Goni after it hit Tabaco, Albay province, south of Manila. Photo: AFP More than 300 houses were buried under volcanic rocks and mud flows from Mayon Volcano in severely hit Albay province in the Bicol region, a lawmaker said. Storm surges hit some coastal towns, while rivers overflowed and dikes were destroyed, submerging several villages in Bicol. The dead and missing were all in Bicol, including nine in Albay, the Office of Civil Defence said. Earlier in the day, Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara reported that a five-year-old had been washed away in flash floods in his province. The disaster management agency was still validating the reports. In Guinobatan municipality, Representative Zaldy Co of the Ako Bicol party list said more than 300 houses were buried under volcanic debris. "Several people believed to be buried alive," the party list said in a statement accompanying photos of the destruction. Residents stand on the roof of their house after a river overflowed in heavy rains brought by Typhoon Goni. Photo: AFP / Alejandro Miraflor Goni weakened further after making landfall for a third time in Quezon province and a fourth time in Batangas before heading towards the South China Sea. The world's strongest storm this year, which had reached a super typhoon category and brought violent winds and intense rainfall, further weakened with 125km/h sustained winds and gusts of up to 170km/h, the weather bureau said. In Quezon province, Governor Danilo Suarez said power supplies were cut in 10 towns as Goni toppled trees. President Rodrigo Duterte was monitoring the government's disaster response from his southern hometown of Davao city, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said. Over 390,000 people had fled to safer ground, including more than 345,000 to evacuation centres, raising concerns about compliance with coronavirus-related health protocols. Dozens of flights were cancelled as Manila's main gateway, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, was ordered shut for one day. The agriculture ministry expected minimal crop damage saying 1.07 million tonnes of unmilled rice and 45,703 tonnes of corn had been saved from the typhoon's onslaught as farmers were advised to take action ahead of its arrival. Goni is one of the strongest storms to hit the Philippines since 2013's Haiyan, which killed more than 6,300 people. The weather bureau said another cyclone, tropical storm Atsani, had entered the country and could gain strength. - Reuters

At least two people have been stabbed to death in the Canadian city of Quebec by a man armed with a sword and dressed in medieval clothing, police say. Photo: AFP Five others were wounded in the Halloween night attack. A man in his mid-20s was arrested shortly before 1am local time on Sunday. Police said an initial probe found the suspect was not affiliated with any extremist groups. The attack took place in the historic Old Quebec neighbourhood. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter: "My heart breaks for the loved ones of the two killed in last night's horrific attack in Quebec City. "I'm also wishing a full recovery to the injured. We're keeping you in our thoughts and will be there for all of you." He also thanked first responders for their critical work. The identity of the suspect has not been made public. At a news conference on Sunday, Quebec City Police Chief Robert Pigeon said it was believed that the attack was premeditated, adding that the suspect, from the Montreal suburbs, came to Quebec City with "the intention of doing the most damage possible". "Dressed in medieval costume and armed with a Japanese sword, everything leads us to believe he chose his victims at random," Mr Pigeon added. The suspect had spoken of conducting an attack "in a medical context" five years ago but was not known to police and did not have a criminal record, police said. ​First reports of the incident near the French-speaking city's national assembly came through shortly before 22:30 local time on Saturday. The suspect was arrested near the Espace 400e business park. Quebec's Le Soleil newspaper reported that he was lying on the ground, barefoot and hypothermic, when he was arrested. He surrendered to police without any resistance, it said. Following his arrest, the suspect was taken to hospital for "evaluation". The five wounded are also being treated in hospital, with varying levels of injury, according to police. Police have not released details of the victims' identities or ages. At a news conference on Sunday, Quebec City police spokesman Étienne Doyon offered "sincerest condolences to the loved ones and families of the people who died". - BBC At a news conference on Sunday, Quebec City police spokesman Étienne Doyon offered "sincerest condolences to the loved ones and families of the people who died".

Typhoon Goni is barrelling across the Philippines, bringing with it "catastrophic" 225km/h winds and torrential rainfall. A rescue worker escorts a child to a waiting vehicle during an evacuation of informal settlers living along coastal areas in Manila Photo: AFP At least four people are reported to have died. Homes have been damaged and roads inundated with flash flooding. Goni made landfall as a super typhoon at Catanduanes island on Sunday at 04:50 local time. It has since weakened as it crosses the main island of Luzon, where the capital Manila is located. But forecasters, in a severe weather bulletin, still warned of "catastrophic violent winds and intense to torrential rainfall" as well as flash-flooding, landslides and "sediment-laden streamflows". Goni - known as Rolly in the Philippines - is the most powerful storm to hit the country since Typhoon Haiyan killed more than 6000 people in 2013. What do we know of the damage so far? The BBC's Howard Johnson in Manila says there is concern for the small town of Virac on Catanduanes island, home to some 70,000, where contact has been lost since Goni made landfall. Images from social media show tin roofs ripped from homes along Goni's path, and local governors have spoken of power supply outages, roofs torn off evacuation centres, damage to infrastructure, flash flooding and blocked roads. Four people, including a five-year-old child in Albay province, are reported to have died; two drowned, another was swept away by volcanic mud and another by a falling tree. "The winds are fierce. We can hear the trees being pummelled. It's very strong," Francia Mae Borras, 21, told AFP from her home in Albay's coastal city of Legazpi. How did the Philippines prepare? The Philippines is used to powerful storms - it is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons a year and lost 22 people when Typhoon Molave barrelled through the same region last week. But this year preparations have been complicated by the Covid-19 virus, which has already caused 380,739 infections and led to 7221 deaths in the Philippines. Some 347,000 people were evacuated, civil defence chief Ricardo Jalad said - revising down the one million figure he mentioned ahead of the storm. Coronavirus patients being treated in isolation tents had been evacuated, officials said. Ports and airports were shut, and schools, gyms and government-run evacuation centres were being used for covid-secure emergency shelters. "Evacuating people is more difficult at this time because of Covid-19," Bicol regional civil defence spokesman Alexis Naz told AFP on Saturday. Relief goods, heavy machinery and personal protective equipment were being moved into areas of need, but a local mayor in Quezon province said the pandemic had depleted their funds for disaster emergencies. - BBC