Disaster officials have advised communities in flood-prone areas of the northern Philippines to evacuate as the slow-moving Typhoon Koppu bore down on the coast with heavy rains and high winds, AP reported. Acting weather bureau chief Esperanza Cayanan said Saturday heavy rains are expected to inundate many areas on the main northern island of Luzon even before the typhoon makes landfall early Sunday, and 24 hours thereafter. She said that another typhoon farther east and a high pressure area north of the country will hold Koppu in a "semi-stationary" position and shroud most of Luzon with an enormous band of thick rain clouds. President Benigno Aquino has appeared on national television to warn Filipinos about the typhoon and appealed for cooperation to prevent casualties.
