Typhoon “Odette” (international name: “Rai”) has slightly weakened after making six landfalls on Thursday, Dec. 16, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
As of 7 p.m., the center of the eye of typhoon Odette was located over the coastal waters of the municipality of President Carlos P. Garcia in Bohol.
It has maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph), gustiness of up to 255 kph, and it is moving westward at 30 kph.
So far, Odette had six landfalls. These were in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte at 1:30 p.m., Liloan, Southern Leyte at 3:40 p.m., Liloan Panaon Island in Southern Leyte at 4:50 p.m., Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte at 5:40 p.m., Pres. Carlos P. Garcia, Bohol at 6:30 p.m., and Bien Unido, Bohol at 7:30 p.m.
"On the forecast track, Odette will continue moving westward, and the center of the tropical cyclone will cross several provinces in Central and Western Visayas before emerging over the Sulu sea tomorrow (Dec. 17) morning," said PAGASA in the 8 p.m. bulletin.
The state weather bureau said that Odette may see some slight weakening as it crosses Visayas and Palawan, but it is forecast to remain as a typhoon.
Areas that remain under tropical cyclone wind signal number 4 are Southern Leyte, southwestern portion of Leyte, Bohol, the central and southern portions of Cebu, the central and southern portions of Negros Oriental, and the central and southern portions of Negros Occidental.
Within 12 hours, areas under signal number 4 may experience destructive-typhoon force winds.
Moreover, the following areas also remained under Signal No. 3: Cagayancillo and Cuyo Islands, the rest of the southern portion of Leyte, the northern portion of Cebu, the rest of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, the northern portion of Negros Occidental, Guimaras, the southern portion of Iloilo, the southern portion of Antique, the northern portion of Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
Areas under Signal No. 3 are expected to experience “destructive typhoon-force winds” within 18 hours.
Futhermore, Signal No. 2 was still raised in Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, mainland Palawan including Kalayaan, Balabac, Cuyo, Calamian Islands, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, the rest of Leyte, the rest of Cebu, the rest of Negros Occidental, the rest of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, the rest of Antique, the rest of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, the rest of Agusan del Norte, the extreme Northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, the northern portion of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, the northern portion of Bukidnon, and the northern portion of Lanao del Sur.
PAGASA said that “damaging gale-to-storm force winds” in areas under Signal No. 2 are expected within 24 hours.
Areas under Signal No. 1 are Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Marinduque, the southern portion of Quezon, Batangas, the northern portion of Davao Oriental, the northern portion of Davao de Oro, the northern portion of Davao del Norte, the rest of Bukidnon, the rest of Lanao del Norte, the rest of Lanao del Sur, the rest of the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, the rest of the northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur, and the northern portion of Zamboanga Sibugay.
Strong winds are likely to prevail within 36 hours in areas under Signal No. 1.
PAGASA warned of scattered to widespread flooding, including flash floods, in areas that are susceptible to these hazards.
Meanwhile, the weakening of the typhoon may ensue beginning Saturday, Dec. 18, or Sunday, Dec. 19 as it becomes exposed to vertical wind shear and the surge of the northeast monsoon, locally known as "amihan." (Charie F. Abarca)