Typhon Koppu Headed Towards Philippines, Mudslides Feared

Pagasa Director Espie Cayanan said another typhoon farther east and a high-pressure area north of the Philippines would hold Lando in a “semi-stationary” position over northern Luzon. It was still 520 kilometers (323 miles) west of the Philippines but moving steadily toward land.

Pama said landslides and overflowing rivers caused by intense rains dumped by Koppu had cut several roads across the region, made up of mountainous areas with farmland along river valleys.

The faster that Koppu shifts northward, the more likely it is that the storm will cross near or east of Taiwan and then be pulled northeast with heavy rain and strong winds possible for the Ryukyu Islands, however mainland Japan would be spared any significant impacts.

Families in the Philippines are battening down, in preparation for yet another life-threatening typhoon that is set to wreak havoc across already impoverished communities. “From the base, the color yellow is applied two feet high, followed by green for another two feet and red in the last two feet”, Llave said.

Residents of communities in the typhoon’s expected path were hunkering down under darkening skies, said Kate Marshall, part of an advance reconnaissance team of the global Committee of the Red Cross to the region.

“Let us prepare as we should monitor the news, and understand the warnings issued by national and local governments, from storm signals, rainfall warnings, storm surge advisories, and advisories regarding the necessary evacuations if needed”, he said.

Just before people along the northeastern coast of Luzon in the Philippines – from Cabantuan City to the small towns along the coast, including Casiguran and Dipaulao – went to bed on Saturday evening, local time, Typhoon Koppu was a strong Category 2 storm. Both would be at risk due to Koppu if in place at this time and would provide disaster risk financing to assist with reconstruction after events of this magnitude.

It was since Typhoon Haiyan hit leaving more than 6,000 individuals dead, Mr Aquino’s first such appeal.

President Benigno Aquino III and disaster-response agencies have warned that Koppu’s rain and wind may potentially bring more damage with its slow speed.

“It is this ridge that effectively traps Typhoon Koppu over the Philippines for a number of days rather than it being able to turn away from the Philippines and out of harm’s way to the South China Sea”.

The expected heavy rainfall may be a blessing in disguise as it is expected to fill up dams and help ease the effects of the El Niño phenomenon.