2 Dead, 6 Missing As Typhoon Koppu Slams Philippines

Two people have died and six more are missing after the landfall of Typhoon Koppu (Lando) in the Philippines.  Rain bands have lashed parts of the country with torrential downpours, while the core of strong winds moved into the central portion of Luzon.

The Associated Press reported that 16,000 villagers have been displaced in the typhoon's path, including in towns prone to flash floods and landslides.

Local police and military officials worked Sunday to rescue those trapped in flooded villages throughout some of the nation's hardest hit provinces. Both Aurora and rice-growing province Nueva Ecija were among those swamped by floodwaters. 

Province-wide power outages were also reported in Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Apayao, and Kalinga.

CNN Philippines reported via Twitter that high winds in the town of Baler had toppled trees and ripped the roofs off several buildings early on Sunday morning.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) sent out a severe weather bulletin Saturday at 11 p.m local time. Fisherfolk have been advised not to venture past the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, as well as the eastern seaboard of Mindanao. Residents in mountainous and low-lying areas of the providences that received the Public Storm Warning Signal (PSWS) have been alerted of possible flash floods and landslides.

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CNN Philippines reported that a total of 2,225 passengers were stranded in 6 districts of Southern Tagalog according to the Philippine Coast Guard as of noon local time on Saturday. The weather bureau PAGASA had placed Batangas under Signal No. 1 which automatically cancelled all trips of passenger vessels.

(MORE: Super Typhoon Koppu (Lando) Makes Philippines Landfall)

According to the Philippines’ Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), a total of approximately $226,146 USD in standby funds has been made available as of Thursday. Also on hand are 120,383 family food packs and approxiamately $2,561,786 USD worth of food and non-food items for resource augmentation to local government units that will be affected by the typhoon.

DSWD secretary Corazon Juliano-Solliman says all disaster teams in the DSWD-Field Offices along the path of the super typhoon have been put on alert status and are ready to provide technical assistance to LGU’s along relief distribution and management of evacuation centers.

A heavy rainfall warning was issued at 4 a.m. Sunday local time: Nueva Ecija is under an orange warning level, meaning flooding still poses a threat. Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Northern Quezon have received a yellow warning level, meaning there is flooding in low-lying areas.

The Department of Education tweeted Saturday morning that classes were suspended, and an advisory was issued by Philippine Airlines around the same time, cancelling several flights. Cebu Pacific Air also issued an advisory canceling flights. 

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