Typhoon Koppu hit the northern Philippines killing at least two people and forcing tens of thousands from their homes.
Heavy rain and floods are affecting dozens of villages.
Troops have been deployed to help residents trapped on rooftops, but are struggling to access more remote areas.
Koppu has now been downgraded to a severe tropical storm by the Japanese Meteorological Agency, which is responsible for naming and tracking it.
However, the Philippines’ own weather agency, which calls the weather system Lando, is still characterizing Koppu as a typhoon.
Despite weakening, Koppu is expected to keep dumping rain on the country for a considerable time to come. Some forecasts suggest it may not be until October 21 that it moves past the Philippines and on to Taiwan.
Typhoon Koppu made landfall near the town of Casiguran on the main island of Luzon on October 18, bringing winds of close to 124mph and cutting power to vast areas.
A teenager was killed by a fallen tree in Manila which also injured four others. A concrete wall also collapsed in the town of Subic, northwest of Manila, killing a 62-year-old woman, officials said.
On October 19, wind speeds were down to 93 mph in the northern town of Santiago, according to the state weather service.
However, floodwaters are preventing even military vehicles reaching many of the worst-hit villages, and rescuers report a shortage of boats.
“We haven’t reached many areas. About 60% to 70% of our town is flooded, some as deep as three meters,” said Henry Velarde, vice mayor of Jaen, a town in Nueva Ecija province.
“There are about 20,000 residents in isolated areas that need food and water.”
While the Philippines is no stranger to typhoons and tropical storms, the slow-moving nature of Koppu means heavy rain will fall for longer than usual, bringing greater risk of flooding and landslides.
Typhoon Koppu is the second strongest storm to hit the Philippines in 2015.
Typhoon Koppu has hit the northern Philippines forcing thousands of people to leave their homes.
According to local reports, homes have been flattened and power lines toppled.
Typhoon Koppu made landfall near the town of Casiguran on the island of Luzon on Sunday morning, October 18.
It brought winds of close to 124mph and whipped up coastal surges 12ft high.
Three days of torrential rain has been predicted, triggering major flooding and possibly landslides.
Alexander Pama, head of the government’s main disaster agency, said 10,000 people had been displaced in north-eastern Luzon but no casualties had been reported so far.
“Initially, we are getting [reports that] many houses were destroyed, power lines toppled and trees blocking major roads,” he said.
The eye of the storm was moving west at a speed of just 2mph.
“It has slowed almost to a crawl. We were hoping it would speed up and spare us sooner,” Alexander Pama added.
Flights and ferry services in the north have been cancelled and some bus services in mountain areas suspended due to the threat of landslides.
Typhoon Koppu, also known as Lando, is up to 400 miles across and producing winds of up to 155mph. It is slow moving, meaning it could bring intense rain over a long period of time.
Rain has also reached the capital Manila, though winds are not expected to be strong enough there to cause damage.
In his TV address, President Benigno Aquino urged the estimated six million people in the typhoon’s direct path to listen to government warnings and be ready to evacuate their homes if necessary.
He said aid agencies had already distributed emergency supplies to evacuation centers.
Meanwhile, the Philippine military in northern Luzon has been placed on alert for disaster operations.
Typhoon Koppu is not due to leave the Philippines until October 20, when it will be heading towards Taiwan.
The Philippines is preparing for Typhoon Koppu that is forecast to dump heavy rain and cause severe flooding when it arrives at the weekend.
On October 16, President Benigno Aquino warned people living in the path of Typhoon Koppu to be ready to evacuate.
In a TV address, Benigno Aquino said the storm could bring up to 12 hours’ torrential rain and cause severe flooding.
It was Benigno Aquino’s first such appeal since Typhoon Haiyan struck in 2013, leaving more than 6,000 people dead.
Typhoon Koppu is due to hit the northern island of Luzon early on October 17.
Forecasters say it is packing winds of up to 115mph and is slow moving, meaning it could bring intense rain over a long period of time.
In his address, Benigno Aquino urged the estimated six million people in the typhoon’s direct path to listen to government warnings and be ready to evacuate their homes if necessary.
He said aid agencies had already distributed emergency supplies to evacuation centers.
The state weather service warned residents on the east coast of Luzon to be ready for possible storm surges of more than 6ft.
Meanwhile, the Philippine military in northern Luzon has been placed on alert for disaster operations.
Typhoon Koppu, also known as Lando, is not due to leave the Philippines until October 20, when it will be heading towards Taiwan.
In November 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan – the strongest storm ever recorded on land – swept into the Philippines, destroying entire towns and leaving more than 6,300 people dead and more than 1,000 missing.
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