MANILA – (2nd UPDATE) Three people were killed after Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-Ten) triggered floods and leveled houses in the Bicol Region, officials said Monday.

An elderly couple who refused to heed evacuation warnings drowned in floodwaters in Polangui town, Albay. Another woman died after she was buried in a collapsed wall, Governor Al Francis Bichara told ANC.

• WATCH: Christmas Typhoon Nina leaves trail of destruction

The storm lashed Catanduanes on Bicol’s eastern coast with 250-kilometer per hour (kph) wind gusts on Christmas Sunday, before plowing through Southern Luzon on Monday.

The winds upturned a number of trucks and blew them to the side of the road, toppled many trees and power lines, blew roofs off concrete structures and leveled palm-thatch houses to the ground.

Tens of thousands fled to safer ground before the storm hit and were forced to spend Noche Buena of Christmas Eve in classrooms and transport terminals that were converted into evacuation shelters.

“Matindi po yung epekto. Kagabi, yung gustiness, talagang napakalakas ng hangin, nagakaroon kami ng baha na lampas-tao,” said Albay provincial disaster officer Cedric Daep.

Floods up to head-high submerged parts of the towns of Polangui, Malinao, Ligao, Oas, Libon, Pio Duran, Tabacco and Tiwi. The waters receded at daybreak as roads were cleared of debris, Daep told DZMM.

Power and communication lines were down in Catanduanes, which endured the storm’s strongest winds, said Mina Marasigan, spokeswoman of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

“Napabalita sa amin na talagang malakas ang naranasan nila doon… Hindi pa tayo maka-touch base talaga at makakuha ng impormasyon sa mga kababayan natin dyan,” Marasigan told DZMM.

(We received information that it was really bad there… We have yet to touch base there and check on the condition of our countrymen.)

Meanwhile, Red Cross Philippines has started handing out aid to those affected by the typhoon.

According to Senator Richard Gordon, there were around 86,809 people in 278 evacuation centers in affected areas as of 3 p.m.

He added that they have started clearing fallen trees in affected areas such as Batangas.

Gordon, however, said they are having a hard time bringing help to Matnog in Sorsogon, where around 5,000 are stranded, because of the trees blocking the roads.

In Metro Manila, some 400 Coast Guard personnel were placed on standby along with over 30 rescue trucks and boats to respond to possible flooding, Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo said.

In July 2014, Typhoon Glenda (international name: Rammasun) hit the capital, causing widespread power outages, forcing 370,000 people to shelters and leaving at least 10 dead.

The Philippines is battered by an average of 20 typhoons annually, with the most powerful ones hitting towards the end of the year. But Christmas Day typhoons are rare.

Also in 2014, over two dozen people were killed after Typhoon “Seniang” (international name: Jangmi) charted a low course across the Visayas during the New Year’s Day weekend, catching many unprepared.