16 October 2015•Update: 16 October 2015
By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines
The Philippines weather agency warned Friday that an approaching typhoon could pose a threat to lives and property across the northern part of the archipelago.
Typhoon Koppu -- locally named "Lando" -- has maximum sustained winds of 120 kph (75 mph) near the center and gusts of up to 150 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
An ABS-CBN news report has claimed that heavy rainfall from the storm could turn streams and rivers into raging waterways, flooding neighboring homes and turning low-lying areas into lakes.
PAGASA said the typhoon was moving west at 15 kph and was expected to make landfall on Luzon island in the Philippines north Saturday night or Sunday morning.
In its Friday alert, the weather agency raised the public storm warning signal to its highest level in 14 areas.
It added that heavy to intense rainfall is expected within Koppu's 550 kilometer (340 mile) diameter.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty told ABS-CBN news that Koppu was last spotted 670 kilometers east of Luzon.
"Rapid intensification is likely to occur right before Koppu reaches Luzon," he said.
"Koppu could become a significant typhoon, possibly equivalent to a Category 3 or 4 hurricane."
Douty added that the typhoon will not only strengthen as it approaches the Philippines but will also slow down significantly.
"The combination of a powerful and slow-moving typhoon could spell a disastrous situation for residents and communities in its path, which will be northern Luzon Island in Koppu's case," he said.
While dangerous flooding is the primary concern, Koppu will also bring the threat of damaging winds, coastal flooding and extremely rough seas to northern Luzon.
"Wind damage will be greatest along the northeast coast of Luzon with wind in excess of 160 kph (100 mph) possible," Douty said, adding that the wind will become more severe the farther inland it goes.
However, he expects that Koppu will stay far enough north for Manila to escape most of the impact.
Koppu is the 24th named storm of 2015 in the northwest Pacific Ocean and the 15th to reach typhoon strength.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said in a statement Friday it had already allocated P128 million ($2.8 million) in standby funds for possible evacuees and victims of the typhoon.
The Philippines suffers around 20 typhoons and storms each year, many of them deadly.
In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan -- one of the strongest tropical cyclones ever recorded -- struck the country’s central islands, leaving more than 8,000 people dead, missing and injured.
