Pakistan, July 24 -- The Philippines shut down schools and cancelled dozens of flights on Thursday as Typhoon Co-May and Tropical Storm Francisco brought heavy rains to the country's northern regions. Authorities responded quickly, urging residents to stay safe and prepare for worsening weather conditions across Luzon Island.

Typhoon Co-May, recently upgraded from a tropical storm, follows several days of monsoon rains that have already killed at least 12 people and left eight others missing since July 18. According to the national weather , the typhoon carried maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour and was expected to hit La Union or Ilocos Sur by Friday morning.

Due to dangerous weather conditions, around 70 domestic and i...