Typhoon Koppu smashes into the Philippines

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, or PAGASA, in a forecast warned residents closest to Koppu’s center to expect significant damage to structures and potential devastation to trees, plants and crops.

Although it has missed a direct hit on Metropolitan Manila, the typhoon has a diameter of 600 kilometers.

Local reports suggest the storm has brought down power pylons and trees while flights and other modes of transport have also been affected in northern Philippines.

Koppu is forecast to remain at typhoon status until Monday evening.

ABS-CBN network aired footage of strong winds shaking large trees and rattling rooftops and storefront signage in Baler, a tourist resort about 85 kilometres south of Casiguran. More than 20 storms pummel the country annually.

A slow-moving typhoon dropping such extreme rainfall in its path could be devastating in terms of river flooding, landslides and other impacts. This storm’s biggest threat is its rains, and it may inflict its greatest toll in northwestern Luzon.

Philippine authorities yesterday warned that a powerful typhoon will likely linger over the country for nearly three days, bringing prolonged heavy rain, possible floods and sparking storm surges.

“There is still danger so we should not put our guard down”, chief weather forecaster Esperanza Cayanan said.

“If it stays 24 hours … and the downpour is sustained, we will surely have floods and landslides”.

Meteorologist Adam Douty has said, “Rapid intensification is likely to occur right before Koppu reaches Luzon”. More than 15,000 residents were evacuated from their homes.

As weather.com’s Nick Wiltgen wrote, this would be the equivalent of receiving an entire year’s worth of average precipitation in Miami, Florida, which is 61.92 inches, in just three or four days.

The typhoon also whipped up coastal surges that went as high as 4 meters.

Heavy to intense rain will fall within the 600-kilometer coverage of Koppu, according to the bureau.

More than 8,000 people, or almost a fourth of the town’s population, moved to evacuation centres in Casiguran, about 270 kilometres northeast of Manila, according to Nigel Lontoc, the deputy civil defence director for the region.

Appearing on nationwide television as the typhoon approached the country, Aquino appealed to the public to heed storm warnings to avoid casualties.

The last time he made a televised appeal was in 2013, the day before super typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines, killing more than 6,300 people and leaving millions homeless.

A Filipino man scavenges recyclable materials near a house on stilts stands by the bay as strong winds and rains caused by Typhoon Koppu hit the coastal town of Navotas, north of Manila, Philippines Sunday, October 18, 2015.