The eye of typhoon “Odette” (international name: “Rai") has now made three landfalls while maintaining its strength, said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday, Dec. 16.
As of 4 p.m., the center of the eye of typhoon Odette was located in the vicinity of Liloan, Southern Leyte. It has maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (kph), gustiness of up to 270 kph, and it is moving westward at 30 kph.
Its first landfall was recorded in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte at 1:30 p.m. Meanwhile, PAGASA said that the second landfall was recorded in Liloan, Southern Leyte at 3:40 p.m., and its third landfall happened in Liloan Panaon Island in Southern Leyte at 4:50 p.m.
“Today through tomorrow early morning (Dec. 17), torrential rains are expected over Caraga, Central Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Southern Leyte, and Negros Occidental,” said PAGASA in its latest bulletin.
The state weather bureau likewise advised residents of Leyte, southern portions of Eastern Samar and Samar, Zamboanga del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and the rest of Mindanao to remain vigilant against moderate to heavy at times rains in the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains are expected over Bicol Region, Quezon, the rest of Visayas, the rest of Zamboanga Peninsula, and mainland Bangsamoro.
Areas 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, the central and southern portions of Negros Occidental, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
Several areas also remained under Signal No. 3. These areas are Cagayancillo 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, and the northern portion of Surigao del Norte.
Moreover, Signal No. 2 was still hoisted 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, teh extreme Northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur, 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.
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.
Areas under Signal No. 4 may experience destructive-typhoon force winds within 12 hours. Meanwhile, areas under Signal No. 3 are expected to experience “destructive typhoon-force winds” within 18 hours.
Furthermore, PAGASA said that “damaging gale-to-storm force winds” may affect areas under Signal No. 2 within 24 hours while strong winds are likely to prevail within 36 hours in areas under Signal No. 1. (Charie Mae F. Abarca)