MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Odette maintained its power as it traversed Southern Leyte from late Thursday afternoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
The state weather service’s latest updates showed that Odette’s eye was over Liloan town in Southern Leyte as of 4:50 p.m., still packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 270 kph. Odette was moving westward at a speed of 30 kph.
It has so far hit land thrice – first in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, at 1:30 p.m., then in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands at 3:10 p.m., and then Liloan town.
According to Pagasa, the tropical cyclone may make more landfalls in the coming hours especially over the southern portion of Southern Leyte.
Regarding the forecast track, Odette is seen to continue moving west and pass southern portions of Central and Western Visayas, particularly Bohol, Cebu, and the Negros island from Thursday night to early Friday morning, and then possibly emerge over Sulu Sea before starting to take the west-northwest direction towards the northern part of Palawan.
Pagasa, however, said Odette may weaken due to land interaction although it is still expected to remain a typhoon-category cyclone over its stay inside the Philippine area of responsibility.
As of this writing, the following areas were under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4:
Visayas
- Southern Leyte
- southwestern portion of Leyte (Hilongos, Bato, Matalom)
- Bohol
- central and southern portions of Cebu (Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, Cebu City, Mandaue City, Consolacion, Liloan, Toledo City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla, City of Naga, Pinamungahan, San Fernando, City of Carcar, Aloguinsan, Barili, Sibonga, Dumanjug, Ronda, Argao, Alcantara, Moalboal, Badian, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Alegria, Malabuyoc, Boljoon, Oslob, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander)
- central and southern portions of Negros Oriental (Canlaon City, Vallehermoso, City of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Ayungon, Bindoy, Manjuyod, Mabinay, City of Bayawan, Basay, Bais City, Pamplona, San Jose, City of Tanjay, Amlan)
- central and southern portions of Negros Occidental (La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, City of Sipalay, Hinoba-An)
Mindanao
- Dinagat Islands
- Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
Pagasa explained that areas under Signal No. 4 may experience “very destructive typhoon-force winds” within the next 12 hours.
Meanwhile, the following areas were declared under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3:
Visayas
- the rest of southern portion of Leyte (Abuyog, Mahaplag, Hindang, Inopacan, City of Baybay, Javier, Macarthur)
- northern portion of Cebu (Camotes Islands, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Balamban, Dalaguete, Sogod)
- the rest of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, the northern portion of Negros Occidental (Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, City of Talisay, Silay City, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota City, San Enrique)
- Guimaras
- southern portion of Iloilo (Iloilo City, Pavia, Leganes, Santa Barbara, San Miguel, Alimodian, Oton, Leon, Tigbauan, Tubungan, Igbaras, Guimbal, Miagao, San Joaquin, Dumangas, Zarraga, New Lucena, Cabatuan, Maasin)
- southern portion of Antique (San Remigio, Patnongon, Belison, San Jose, Sibalom, Hamtic, Tobias Fornier, Anini-Y)
Mindanao
- northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Kitcharao, Jabonga, Santiago, Tubay, City of Cabadbaran)
- northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag)
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2:
Luzon
- Albay
- Sorsogon
- Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
- Romblon
- Oriental Mindoro
- Occidental Mindoro
- mainlanad Palawan including Kalayaan, Balabac, Cuyo, and Calamian Islands
- Visayas
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
Mindanao
- the rest of Surigao del Sur
- Agusan del Sur
- the rest of Agusan del Norte
- the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Dapitan City, Siayan, Sindangan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, Pres. Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Polanco, Dipolog City, Piñan, Mutia, La Libertad, Rizal, Sibutad)
- the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur (Josefina, Molave, Mahayag, Dumingag, Tambulig)
- Misamis Occidental
- northern portion of Lanao del Norte (Kolambugan, Maigo, Munai, Bacolod, Poona Piagapo, Kauswagan, Pantao Ragat, Matungao, Linamon, Baloi, Tagoloan, Pantar, Iligan City)
- Misamis Oriental
- Camiguin
- northern portion of Bukidnon (Cabanglasan, City of Malaybalay, Lantapan, Talakag, Baungon, Libona, Manolo Fortich, Sumilao, Impasug-Ong, Malitbog)
- northern portion of Lanao del Sur (Tagoloan II, Kapai)
On the other hand, areas placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 were the following:
Luzon
- Catanduanes
- Camarines Norte
- Camarines Sur
- Marinduque
- 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)
- Batangas
Mindanao
- northern portion of Davao Oriental (Baganga, Cateel, Boston)
- northern portion of Davao de Oro (Laak, Mawab, Nabunturan, Montevista, Monkayo, New Bataan, Compostela)
- northern portion of Davao del Norte (Talaingod, Santo Tomas, Kapalong, Asuncion, San Isidro, New Corella)
- the rest of Bukidnon
- the rest of Lanao del Norte
- the rest of Lanao del Sur
- the rest of northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Labason, Kalawit, Tampilisan, Liloy, Salug, Godod, Bacungan, Gutalac, Baliguian)
- the rest of northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur (Bayog, Lakewood, Kumalarang, Guipos, Dumalinao, Tukuran, Ramon Magsaysay, Aurora, Sominot, Tigbao, Labangan, Pagadian City, Midsalip,)
- northern portion of Zamboanga Sibugay (Titay, Ipil, Naga, Kabasalan, Siay, Diplahan, Buug)