3 areas still under Signal No. 3 as Odette passes over Sulu Sea

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was hoisted over three areas in Luzon and Visayas as Typhoon Odette passed over the Sulu Sea between Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands on Friday morning, PAGASA said.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Odette was located at 155 kilomters West Southwest of Iloilo City or 90 km South Southeast of Cuyo, Palawan at 7 a.m.

Odette has maximum sustained winds of 155 km per, gustiness of up to 235 km/h, central pressure of 955 hPa, and strong winds extending outwards up to 480 km from the center.

The typhoon is moving Westward at 25 km/h.

PAGASA said the following areas are under TCWS No. 3:

• the northern portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Cagayancillo and Cuyo Islands
• the southern portion of Iloilo (Tigbauan, Leon, Tubungan, Guimbal, Igbaras, Miagao, San Joaquin)
• the southern portion of Antique (Patnongon, San Remigio, San Jose, Belison, Sibalom, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-Y)

TCWS No. 2 was raised over the following areas:

• the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bansud, Bulalacao, Roxas, Bongabong, Mansalay)
• the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Rizal, San Jose, Magsaysay, Calintaan, Sablayan)
• the western portion of Romblon (Looc, Ferrol, Santa Fe, San Jose, Alcantara, Santa Maria, Odiongan, San Agustin, San Andres, Calatrava)
• the central portion of Palawan (Narra, Sofronio Española, Quezon, Aborlan, Rizal, Brooke's Point) including Kalayaan and Calamian Islands
• Aklan
• Capiz
• the rest of Iloilo
• the rest of Antique
• Guimaras
• Negros Oriental
• Negros Occidental
• the southern portion of Cebu (Toledo City, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, City of Carcar, Aloguinsan, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Argao, Ronda, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Dalaguete, Alegria, Alcoy, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Oslob, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander)

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 was raised over the following areas:

• the western portion of Camarines Sur
• Albay (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao, Canaman, Pamplona, Camaligan, Gainza, Pasacao, Naga City, Milaor, San Fernando, Pili, Ocampo, Sagñay, Buhi, Iriga City, Baao, Bula, Minalabac, Nabua, Balatan, Bato)
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Marinduque
• the southern portion of Quezon (San Antonio, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, Agdangan, Unisan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Pitogo, Lopez, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Quezon, Alabat, City of Tayabas, Perez)
• the rest of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands
• the rest of Oriental Mindoro
• the rest of Palawan
• the rest of Romblon
• Batangas
• the western portion of Northern Samar (Lope de Vega, Catarman, Bobon, San Jose, Rosario, Lavezares, Biri, Allen, Victoria, San Isidro, San Antonio, Capul, San Vicente)
• the western portion of Samar (Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, San Jorge, City of Catbalogan, Zumarraga, Daram, Talalora, Villareal, Santa Rita, Santo Niño, Almagro, Tagapul-An),
• Bohol
• Biliran
• Leyte
• the western portion of Southern Leyte (Sogod, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, Malitbog, Padre Burgos, Macrohon, City of Maasin, Limasawa)
• the rest of Cebu including Bantayan and Camotes Islands
• Siquijor
• Mindanao
• the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Baliguian, Gutalac, Kalawit, Labason, Liloy, Tampilisan, Salug, Godod, Bacungan, Sindangan, Siayan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, Mutia, Dapitan City, La Libertad, Sibutad, Rizal)
• the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Don Victoriano Chiongbian, Aloran, Oroquieta City, Lopez Jaena, Concepcion, Sapang Dalaga, Calamba, Baliangao, Plaridel)

Effects

Disaster officials have so far reported one fatality -- a 54-year-old woman in Iloilo City whose house was destroyed by bamboo that was toppled by the typhoon.

A total of 332, 855 people or 83, 026 families were preemptive evacuated due to the threat of Odette, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC). At least 41,434 individuals or 11,859 families were evacuated.

Verified video shots and photos posted on social media, meanwhile, showed flooded streets, trees either toppled or swaying violently, and damaged infrastructures.

Scores of flights have been cancelled and dozens of ports temporarily closed as PAGASA warned several meter-high storm surges could cause "life-threatening flooding" in low-lying coastal areas.

Odette (international name: Rai) is hitting the Philippines late in the typhoon season, with most cyclones developing between July and October.

The Philippines -- ranked as one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change -- is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons every year, which typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure in already impoverished areas.

The deadliest cyclone on record in the Philippines was Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013.

Rainfall warning

On Friday, PAGASA said heavy to torrential rains are expected over Western Visayas, Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and Negros Oriental, PAGASA said.

It also said moderate to heavy with at times intense rains will be experienced over the Bicol Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Quezon, and the rest of MIMAROPA.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains, meanwhile, are expected over the Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Aurora, Lanao del Sur, and the rest of Visayas.

PAGASA said Odette may make another landfall in the vicinity of northern or central portion of Palawan on Friday morning or afternoon. It will then re-emerge over the West Philippine Sea in the evening, and cross the vicinity of Kalayaan Islands on Saturday.

Odette is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning or early afternoon, PAGASA said. —with Agence France-Presse/KBK, GMA News