Bagyong Odette Threatens Extreme Northern Luzon

Bagyong Odette (Typhoon Usagi) has maintained its strength and continues to move towards the extreme Northern Luzon area, the PAGASA said Friday night.

Bagyong Odette Track Forecast (Source: PAGASA)

In a severe weather bulletin released at 11p.m., the state weather bureau said the eye of Typhoon Odette was located based on all available data at 120 km East of Basco, Batanes (20.2°N, 123.2°E) an hour earlier. Packing maximum sustained winds of 205 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 240 kph, the tropical cyclone is forecast to move West Northwest at 19 kph, it added.

Public Storm Warnings Signals (PSWS) are still up in the following areas:

Signal#4 (Winds of more than 185 kph is expected in at least 12 hrs): Batanes Group of Islands.

Signal#3 (Winds of 101-185 kph is expected in at least 18 hrs): Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands.

Signal#2 (Winds of 61-100 kph is expected in at least 24 hrs): Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte.

Signal#1 (Winds of 30-60 kph is expected in at least 36 hours): Abra, Kalinga, Isabela, Northern Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province and Ifugao.

Bagyong Odette is expected to be outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 270 km West of Basco, Batanes or at 150 km Southwest of Southern Taiwan by Saturday evening.

PAGASA also added the following advisories:

• Estimated rainfall amount is from 10 – 20 mm per hour (heavy-intense) within the 900 km diameter of the Typhoon.
• Residents in low lying and mountainous areas under signals #4, #3, #2 & #1 are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Likewise, those living in coastal areas under signal #4, #3 and #2 are alerted against storm surges.
• “ODETTE” will continue to enhance the Southwest Monsoon that will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. Residents in these areas are advised to be alert against flash floods and landslides.
• Sea travel is risky over the seaboards of Luzon and Visayas.