Typhoon Koppu, known in the Philippines as Typhoon Lando, was a devastating trop

ical cyclone that struck Luzon. The twenty-fourth named storm and the fifteenth
typhoon of the annual typhoon season, Koppu originated from a tropical disturban
ce east of the Mariana Islands on October 10. Moving briskly west, the system co
nsolidated into a tropical depression the following day and further into a tropi
cal storm on October 13. Situated over the warm waters of the Philippine Sea, Ko
ppu quickly deepened. The storm reached its peak intensity on October 17 with te
n-minute sustained winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) according to the Japan Meteorolog
ical Agency (JMA). The Joint Typhoon Warning Center assessed Koppu to have been
a Category 4-equivalent super typhoon with one-minute sustained winds of 240 km/
h (150 mph). The storm subsequently made landfall at this strength near Casigura
n, Philippines. Rapid weakening ensued due to interaction with the mountainous t
errain of Luzon and the disheveled core of Koppu emerged over the South China Se
a on October 19. Unfavorable environmental conditions inhibited reorganization a
nd the system diminished to a tropical depression on October 21.
Prior to Koppu's landfall, PAGASA raised Public Storm Warning Signals for numero
us provinces; nearly 24,000 people evacuated accordingly. The storm caused treme
ndous structural damage in coastal provinces, with thousands of structures damag
ed or destroyed. Prolonged, heavy rains peaking at 1,077.8 mm (42.43 in) in Baguio e
xacerbated the storm's effects and resulted in widespread flooding. At least 56
people were killed across the country and more than 100,000 others were displace
d. Preliminary damage totals, primarily from agriculture, amount to 7.33 billion
pesos (US$157.6 million).
Contents [hide]
1 Meteorological history
2 Preparations and impact
3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Meteorological history[edit]
Map plotting the track and intensity of the storm according to the Saffir Simpson
hurricane wind scale
A tropical disturbance formed in a monsoon trough late on October 10, over Enewe
tak Atoll.[1] One day later, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) upgraded the
low-pressure area to a tropical depression, yet the low-level circulation center
was exposed owing to strong vertical wind shear.[2][3] On October 12, as the sy
stem kept consolidating with convection sheared to the west, the Joint Typhoon W
arning Center (JTWC) issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert;[4] half a day af
ter, the JMA started to issue tropical cyclone warnings about the tropical depre
ssion.[5] The JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical depression early on October
13, although fragmented convective bands were wrapping tighter into a broad LLC
C which remained exposed.[6] At noon, tracking westward along the southern perip
hery of the deep-layered subtropical ridge, the system intensified into a tropic
al storm and was named Koppu by the JMA.[7][8]
Early on October 14, the storm entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility and
received the name Lando from PAGASA, and deepened convection finally obscured t
he LLCC late on the same day, shortly before being upgraded to a severe tropical
storm by the JMA.[9][10][11] Under a favorable environment of low vertical wind
shear and radial outflow, Koppu deepened rapidly and intensified into a typhoon
in the afternoon of October 15, when a tightly-curved convective band was wrapp
ing into an eye revealed by a microwave imagery.[12][13] Intensification slowed
down until an apparent but ragged eye formed one day later, as sea surface tempe
rature were over 31 C (88 F) in the Philippine Sea.[14] The 35 km (25 miles) eye b
ecame sharper on October 17, prompting the JTWC upgrading Koppu to a super typho
on with one-minute maximum sustained winds at 240 km/h (150 mph) in the afternoo

n, equivalent to Category 4 of the Saffir Simpson hurricane wind scale.[15] Around

01:00 PHT on October 18 (17:00 UTC on October 17), Koppu made landfall over Cas
iguran, Aurora in the Philippines;[16] however, the JMA then reported that Koppu
reached its peak intensity with ten-minute maximum sustained winds at 185 km/h
(115 mph) and the central pressure at 920 hPa (27.17 inHg).[17]
Frictional effects from land interaction with Luzon started to erode the typhoon
rapidly after landfall, despite excellent dual outflow channels.[18] Before noo
n or in the afternoon on October 18, Koppu emerged into the South China Sea as a
disorganized system which had begun to encounter with stronger easterly vertica
l wind shear.[19] Tracking northward very slowly along the western periphery of
an extension of the deep-layered subtropical ridge to the east-northeast, the pr
oximity to Luzon was inhibiting the system from consolidating, resulting the JMA
to downgrade Koppu to a severe tropical storm which main convection had been sh
eared to the west early on October 19.[20][21] Both the JTWC and then the JMA do
wngraded the highly unorganized system with a ragged LLCC to a tropical storm in
the afternoon.[22][23] Continuing hugging the coast of Luzon on October 20, Kop
pu drifted northeastward and then east-northeastward due to embedded within a we
ak complex steering environment with a near-equatorial ridge to the south and an
induced ridge between Typhoon Champi and Koppu; convective organization was als
o hampered by being embedded in a mid-level trough along the western periphery o
f the subtropical ridge.[24]
Preparations and impact[edit]
Highest PSWS raised by PAGASA across the Philippines in relation to Typhoon Kopp
u.
PAGASA began issuing Public Storm Warning Signals (PSWS) for the Philippines sta
rting on October 15, at which time Koppu was situated 755 km (469 mi) east of Ba
ler, Aurora. The advised areas were initially concentrated around east-central L
uzon.[25] As the typhoon intensified, the PSWS levels were raised and expanded.[
26] At 09:00 UTC on October 17, PSWS #4 the second-highest level was issued for Auro
ra Province as winds of 171 to 220 km/h (106 to 137 mph) were anticipated in the
province within 12 hours;[27] this was expanded to include southern Isabela Pro
vince hours later.[28] Following the storm's landfall, PSWS were gradually lower
ed over the subsequent several days.[29] Nearly 24,000 people evacuated ahead of
the typhoon's arrival while numerous schools, businesses, and government office
s closed. A total of 88 flights were canceled.[30]
Powerful winds caused widespread damage and disruption across Luzon. Nine provin
ces suffered total power outages and throughout the affected regions of Luzon, a
pproximately 9 million people roughly 10 percent of the entire nation lost electrici
ty. Aurora Province sustained a direct hit from the typhoon. Nearly every struct
ure in Casiguran was damaged or destroyed. The nearby towns of Dinalungan and Di
lasag were rendered inaccessible.[31] Torrential rains fell across much of regio
n, with western coastal areas seeing the highest accumulations.[32] A storm tota
l of 1,077.8 mm (42.43 in) was observed in Baguio, with 800 mm (31 in) falling i
n a 24-hour span.[33] Just south of Baguio at the San Roque Dam, an unconfirmed
24-hour accumulation of 1,317 mm (51.9 in), including 717 mm (28.2 in) in 12 hou
rs, was reported. If verified, these would be the greatest 12- and 24-hour rainf
all totals on record in the Philippines.[32] The heaviest rains were fairly conc
entrated, with Quezon City in Metro Manila to the south recording only 97.8 mm (
3.85 in). Along the northwestern coast, Vigan saw 200.2 mm (7.88 in) accumulate.
[33]
Downed trees and street flooding in Moncada, Tarlac, following Typhoon Koppu
As of October 24, at least 46 people were killed, 78 others were injured, and 5
more were reported missing across Luzon. Approximately 1.24 million people were
directly affected by the storm; at one point, 113,584 people moved to evacuation

centers. Throughout the affected regions, 17,254 homes were damaged and 1,504 w
ere destroyed. Total damage reached at least 9.86 billion pesos (US$211.8 millio
n).[34]
In the central Philippines, two motorboats capsized in separate incidents result
ing in a collective ten fatalities.[31] Virac and Daet saw 179.4 mm (7.06 in) an
d 152.3 mm (6.00 in) of rain, respectively, as Koppu passed to the north.[33]
Aftermath[edit]
The Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC
) has provided 22.3 million pesos (US $480,000) worth of assistance as of Octobe
r 21.[30] On October 18, Australia was the first foreign government to offer sup
port to typhoon relief.[35] On 22 October Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bish
op announced $1 million in support to families affected by the Typhoon.[36]
A state of calamity was declared for the provinces of Aurora, Cagayan, Isabela,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, Quirino, three cities namely Dagupan, Il
agan and Tuguegarao, and to nine towns specifically Arayat, Baler, Cabatuan, Cal
umpit, Camiling, General Nakar, Infanta, Ramos and Sugpon owing to widespread fl
ooding.[37][38][39]