Signal No. 1 raised over parts of Eastern Samar, Surigao provinces due to Odette

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 was hoisted over parts of the Visayas as Severe Tropical Storm Odette moved west northwestward over Mindanao, state weather bureau PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 11 p.m. severe weather bulletin, PAGASA said TCWS No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• The southeastern portion of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Mercedes, Salcedo) Dinagat Islands,
• the eastern portion of Surigao del Norte (Claver, Surigao City, Tagana-An, Placer, Gigaquit, Bacuag) including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
• northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Cortes, Carmen, Lanuza)

Odette, which had just entered the Philippine area of responsibility, was last spotted at 890 kilometers east of Mindanao. It is packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 125 kph while moving west northwestward at 15 kph.

PAGASA said the weather disturbance will bring light to moderate with occassional heavy rains over Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands on Wednesday.

On Thursday, Odette is expected to bring heavy to intense rains over Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Camiguin, and Misamis Oriental. Meanwhile,  Leyte, Southern Leyte, the southern portion of Eastern Samar, Bohol, Siquijor, and the rest of Caraga will experience moderate to heavy rains while  Bicol Region, Zamboanga del Norte, and the rest of Visayas and Northern Mindanao will experience light to moderate rains.

Odette is also expected to make landfall in Caraga or Eastern Visayas on Thursday afternoon or evening, PAGASA also said.

Further, Odette will also possibly intensify into a typhoon within 12 hours and may reach a peak intensity of 155 km/h prior to making landfall on Thursday afternoon or evening.

"Considering these developments, the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned are advised to take all necessary measures to protect life and property," said PAGASA.

"Persons living in areas identified to be highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards are advised to follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials," it added. —NB, GMA News