Philippines battered by violent typhoon

Violent typhoon Koppu battered the Philippines on Sunday, destroying homes and displacing at least 10,000 people, and causing coastal surges of four metres high.

Koppu, the category four typhoon, made landfall near the town of Casiguran in Aurora province.

However, no casualties have been reported so far.

The state weather bureau said Koppu intensified on Saturday with maximum sustained winds of 185 km per hour near the centre and gustiness of up to 220 km per hour, the Philippine Star reported.

Heavy rain and strong winds will continue until Tuesday.

"Estimated rainfall amount is from heavy to intense within the 600 km diameter of the typhoon," said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Although the storm will not directly hit Metro Manila, PAGASA warned that its diameter was so huge that even the southern regions were likely to be affected by strong winds and rain.

Civil defence officials warned that waves as high as 14 metres could occur at sea and banned all vessels from sailing in over half the country.

The last massive typhoon to hit the Philippines super typhoon Haiyan in 2013 which claimed the lives of 6,300 people and left millions homeless.