1 reported dead, 2 injured due to Odette —NDRRMC

One person was reported dead while two others were injured due to the onslaught of Typhoon Odette, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.

The NDRRMC, in a report, said the information is still being validated. But according to Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office’s Jet Konlu, a 54-year-old woman was reported dead in their area on Thursday evening.

“Kagabi, mayroon tayong isang casualty. Ito po 54 years old, babae. Ito ay natamaan ng kawayan sa tabi ng kanilang bahay during ng onslaught ng bagyong Odette,” he said in an interview on Dobol B TV.

(Last night, we had one casualty. She was a 54-year-old woman. She was hit by a bamboo beside their home during the onslaught of Typhoon Odette.)

Based on the consolidated report of the Philippine National Police, two people died and three people were injured in Northern Mindanao. Initially, two people were reported missing in Western Visayas but were later rescued.

Teresita Siason, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management officer of Guimaras, said in a radio interview that they are still verifying reports of two fatalities.

Surigao City Mayor Ernesto Matugas said they are also checking a report of one death. The victim, he said, was buried in debris.

A total of 332, 855 people or 83, 026 families were preemptive evacuated due to the threat of Odette, the NDRRMC said in its latest report. At least 41,434 individuals or 11,859 families were evacuated.

Around 14,680 people or 4,989 families were staying inside 191 evacuation facilities, while 500 persons or 166 families were taking shelter in the houses of their friends and relatives.

At least 249 barangays were affected in Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga, the NDRRMC said, adding a total of 62 cities and municipalities encountered power interruptions.

At least 73 ports were not operating. A total of 4,503 passengers; 2,245 rolling cargoes; 65 vessels; and three motorbancas were stranded in Calabarzon, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga, and Caraga.

A total of 261 classes and 239 work schedules were suspended due to the typhoon.

Two areas reported that two roads were not passable.

According to the PNP, a total of 152 areas were flooded, 492 experienced cellular communication problems, and 154 encountered power interruption.

Dozens of areas were still under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals as of Friday morning, according to state weather bureau PAGASA. Four of these areas were under Signal No. 3.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Odette was located 155 kilometers 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 hour, 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 was moving westward at 25 km/h. —KBK/VBL, GMA News