Typhoon "Odette" (international name: "Rai") has further weakened and is now over the Panay Gulf as it is headed for another landfall over the northern or central part of Palawan Friday afternoon, Dec. 17, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.
As of 4 a.m., Friday, the center of the eye of Odette was located 75 kilometers (km) southwest of Iloilo City.
It was moving westward at 35 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 235 kph.
After making landfall a number of times, Odette has gradually weakened, prompting the PAGASA to lower or lift the tropical cyclone wind signals that have been raised.
Signal No. 3 is still hoisted over the northern portion of Palawan including Cagayancillo and Cuyo Islands, Guimaras, southern portion of Iloilo, southern portion of Antique, central and southern portions of Negros Occidental, and central portion of Negros Oriental.
Areas that remain under Signal No. 2 are southern portion of Oriental Mindoro, southern portion of Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, southern portion of Masbate, central portion of Palawan including Kalayaan and Calamian Islands, Aklan, Capiz, the rest of Antique, the rest of Iloilo, the rest of Negros Oriental, the rest of Negros Occidental, Cebu, Siquijor, and the western portion of Bohol.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 remains raised in Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, the rest of Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Marinduque, the southern portion of Quezon, the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the rest of Palawan, Batangas, Eastern Samar, Samar, Northern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, and the rest of Bohol, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, and northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur.
"Destructive typhoon-force winds will be experienced within any of the areas where TCWS (tropical cyclone wind signal) No. 3 is in effect. This may bring moderate to heavy damage to structures and vegetation," it added.
Damaging winds reaching gale- to storm-force strength may also be experienced within any of the areas where Signal No. 2 is in effect, while strong winds with higher gusts may affect the areas where Signal No. 1 is currently in effect during the passage of the typhoon.
PAGASA said that heavy to torrential rains may still prevail over Western Visayas, Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and Negros Oriental Friday.
Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may also persist in Bicol, Zamboanga Peninsula, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, Marinduque, and the rest of Palawan, while light to moderate with at times heavy rains may prevail over Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Aurora, Lanao del Sur, and the rest of Visayas.
By Saturday, Dec. 18, heavy to intense with at times torrential rains may prevail over Kalayaan Islands, while moderate to heavy rains may affect Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Quezon, and Aurora.
Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may persist in Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila, Eastern Visayas, Rizal, Bulacan, mainland Palawan including Calamian Islands, and the rest of Bicol region.
"Under these conditions, scattered to widespread flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides are expected especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps, and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall," PAGASA said.
Odette is expected to move generally westward and cross the Sulu Sea and pass near or in the vicinity of either Cuyo or Cagayancillo archipelago Friday noon before making landfall in the vicinity of northern or central portion of Palawan Friday afternoon.
"After re-emerging over the West Philippine Sea tonight (Dec. 17), Odette is forecast to pass in the vicinity of Kalayaan Islands tomorrow (Dec. 18)," PAGASA said.
"Odette may still see some slight weakening until it crosses Palawan, but it is forecast to remain as a typhoon. Re-intensification is likely once Odette emerges over the West Philippine Sea. However, continuous weakening may ensue beginning Sunday (Dec. 19) as the typhoon becomes exposed to increasing vertical wind shear and the surge of the northeast monsoon," it added.