REUTERS A man tries to cross a road flooded by Typhoon Koppu

FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Typhoon Koppu's torrential rain and strong winds caused landslides, floods, power outages and damage to roads and bridges in the Northern Philippines over the weekend. Officials fear the death toll may rise after the typhoon ripped across the main island of Luzon on Sunday leaving several remote towns and villages isolated due to flash floods and toppled trees and boulders blocking roads. The storm, downgraded to a category one typhoon from category four, was moving slowly north on Monday and was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm within hours.

There are about 20,000 residents in isolated areas that need food and water. Henry Velarde

Henry Velarde, vice mayor of Jaen town in Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila, said: "We haven't reached many areas. About 60 to 70 per cent of our town is flooded, some as deep as 10 feet. "There are about 20,000 residents in isolated areas that need food and water." The national disaster agency said two people died from falling trees and a toppled concrete wall. The coast guard said seven people died at sea.

AFP•GETTY IMAGES This farmer rides his water buffalo in an attempt to reach higher ground

Villages far from rivers in Nueva Ecija were flooded as water from the mountains came rushing down plains and valleys. Reynato Simbulan, a village councillor from Nueva Ecija admitted people were not expecting Koppu's effects. He said: "We're seven kilometres away from the river but we were still inundated."

REUTERS 65,000 people have been evacuated from their homes in the wake of Typhoon Koppu

Nearly 183,000 people felt the impact of the typhoon, of whom more than 65,000 had been evacuated from low-lying and landslide-prone areas, the disaster agency said. About 6,000 people were stranded in various ports across the main Luzon island.

REUTERS This sea wall was broken by Typhoon Koppu