Over 200 residents in N. Philippines evacuated due to typhoon

The Philippine government has undertaken pre-emptive evacuation of 219 people from 72 families in northern province of Isabela as typhoon Koppu, locally named Lando, further intensified, the state disaster management agency said Saturday.

The affected residents were housed in five evacuation centers.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview over a state-run radio station that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has readied an standby fund of over 18 million pesos (391,158 U.S. dollars) as response to possible devastation by the weather disturbance.

She said the the department is stockpiling goods and is being supported by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

A total of 330 passengers were also stranded in different ports in northern and eastern parts of the country.

In the latest weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said Koppu further intensified as it threatened the northern provinces of Aurora, Isabela and northern part of Quezon.

Koppu packed maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 210 kph and storm signals have been hoisted in several provinces in northern part of the country, including Metro Manila, the country's capital. Enditem