Odette now a typhoon; No. 1 up over extreme N. Luzon–Pagasa

MT Satellite image September 19, 2013, Thursday, 6:32AM. Screengrab from https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines —Four areas in extreme Northern Luzon were placed under storm Signal No. 1 as Odette (international name Usagi) intensified into a typhoon on Thursday.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration raised Signal No. 1 in the following areas:

Batanes Grp. of Is.
Apayao
Isabela
Cagayan
Calayan
Babuyan Grp. of Island

The typhoon was last observed 630 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 160 kph.

It was moving swiftly west at 13 kph.

It will enhance the southwest monsoon, with heavy to intense rains within its 500 kilometer-diameter.

Moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and over the provinces of Zambales and Bataan. Residents in these areas are advised to be alert against flashfloods and landslides.

Pagasa warned that sea travel would be risky over the seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan and over the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon and of Visayas.

The typhoon is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Sunday.