MANILA, Philippines–Typhoon Odette (international name Usagi) maintained its strength and continued to threaten Northern Luzon Friday afternoon.
Categorized by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center of the US Navy as a “Supertyphoon,” Odette packed maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph.
The typhoon was last located 220 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Signal No. 4 remained hoisted over Batanes Group of Islands.
Other areas under storm signals are the following: Signal No. 3–Calayan Group of Islands and Babuyan Group of Islands.
Signal No. 2: Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte.
Signal No. 1: Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Northern Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, and Ifugao.
Areas under storm signals were alerted of possible flashfloods, landslides and storm surges.
The typhoon now covers 1,000 kilometers, and will enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas, Pagasa said..
Sea travel remained risky over the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, meanwhile, said that they have prepositioned P113.58 million worth of emergency relief resources for local government units affected by Odette.