Typhoon Koppu set to have ‘catastrophic’ impact on Philippines

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Typhoon Koppu set to have ‘catastrophic’ impact on Philippines before passing by Hong Kong

Storm could turn into a super typhoon by the time it passes within 800km of Hong Kong on Wednesday

PUBLISHED : Friday, 16 October, 2015, 8:52am
UPDATED : Friday, 16 October, 2015, 11:26pm

Danny Lee
[email protected]

Hong Kong is expected to suffer “serious” pollution levels over the weekend as a slow-moving typhoon threatening the Philippines will keep air quality levels poor across the city. Photo: AFP

A slow-moving typhoon barrelling towards the Philippines this weekend is expected to bring hazy conditions and high pollution levels next week in Hong Kong.

Forecasters are warning of a “disaster” and “catastrophic” impact to the Philippines likely to bring severe flooding, damaging winds and a storm surge, as the typhoon intensifies and crawls towards low-lying areas.

Filipino political supporters shelter beneath umbrellas and placards during a downpour in Manila, Philippines Koppu has displayed maximum wind speeds of 130 kilometres per hour with gusts of up to 160 kph, as it moves west at a speed of 15 kph, the weather bureau said, adding that the typhoon is expected to bring heavy rains over an area of 550 kilometres. Photo: EPA

Currently, Koppu is projected to strengthen to a super typhoon, according to the Hong Kong Observatory, with sustained wind speeds of 185km/h as it makes landfall.

“A catastrophic flood scenario is looming over the Philippines today as Typhoon Koppu intensifies and nears the island of Luzon,” warned Robert Speta, a meteorologist with Japan broadcaster NHK World writing on his westernpacificweather.com blog. He projected landfall at around 2-4am on Sunday morning, with the possibility of 900mm of rain in some areas leading to a very real threat of severe flooding and landslides.

“The storms intensity itself is one big issue with this system but more so it is the extremely slow movement of Koppu that will result in over 48 hours of persistent rainfall across much of Luzon from Manila North,” said Speta. “The big culprit is a large high pressure centred over southern China. This will act as a wall stopping Koppu as it starts to make landfall.”

Koppu is expected to fall within 800km of Hong Kong by next Wednesday, triggering tropical cyclone advisory updates ready.

The forecast for Hong Kong until Wednesday is expected to contribute to soaring air pollution levels, also temperatures of up to 30 degrees Celsius.

“A dry continental airstream will bring generally fine weather to Southern China in the next couple of days. The temperature difference between day and night will be larger over the region,” the Observatory said in a statement.

“Besides, tropical cyclone Koppu will intensify and move in the general direction of Luzon in the next couple of days. Koppu will slow down and linger around Luzon afterwards. However, its track remains rather uncertain.”

In November 2013, Typhoon Haiyan brought a deadly five metre storm surge and wind speeds of around 195 km/h tore through low-lying areas of the Philippines, devastating areas including Tacloban. The disaster killed over 6,000 people and left nearly 2,000 people unaccounted for.