The death toll from Typhoon Koppu climbed to 16 and many residents of flooded farming villages in the Philippines remain trapped on their rooftops with animals being floated down fast-rising rivers.

Homes have been flattened, power lines toppled, and thousands of people have fled their homes as Typhoon Koppu swept into the northern Philippines.

The Philippines is preparing for a typhoon that is forecast to dump heavy rain and cause severe flooding when it arrives at the weekend.