Philippines, Effect of Typhoon KOPPU (Lando)

Tropical Storm Koppu (Lando) began to form in the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, 13 October 2015. The westward-moving storm continued to intensify as it moved across the open waters until it became a major typhoon on Friday, 16 October 2015. The typhoon made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora Province, Philippines (16.2°N, 122.2°E) on 18 October 2015 at 1:00 AM local time (GMT+8) with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph and gustiness of 210 kph. Typhoon Koppu (Lando) steadily weakened to a low pressure area (LPA). The LPA is forecasted to linger until the weekend and bring light to moderate rains over northern Luzon provinces in the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and Cagayan Valley IMPACT (as of 29 October 2015) - As of today, 29 October 2015, Typhoon Koppu (Lando) has left 48 people dead, 83 people injured, and 4 people still missing. - Total affected families reached 696,027 families (3,041,979 people) in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, V, National Capital Region (NCR), and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). RESPONSE - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Local Government Units (LGUs) have been providing assistance worth P17,402,612 (approx. US$375,000). Approximately US$21 million have also been provided as standby funds by DSWD to Field Offices in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, and NROC. - Prepositioned Rapid Restoration Teams provided assistance to ensure immediate restoration of power in the affected areas. As of 21 October 2015, power has been restored in 14 cities and 151 municipalities. Communication lines are also gradually being restored. - To cope with the situation, NDRRMC Operations Centre alert status was raised to Red Alert since 16 October 2015. This is to ensure continuous monitoring of the situation and dissemination of advisories, forecasts, and warnings to the regional offices and local offices in different levels, as well as to the general public through SMS, facsimile, websites, and social media.