- CHERYL G. CRUZ
The central and southern portions of Negros Occidental, including La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, City of Sipalay, and Hinoba-an, are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4, with very destructive typhoon-force winds prevailing or expected within 12 hours, as of the 5 p.m. bulletin of DOST-PAGASA.
In its Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 12, the weather bureau said that Typhoon “Odette” maintained its strength and was now over Liloan, southern Leyte, where it made a third landfall at 4:50 p.m. Dec. 16.
Its first landfall was in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte at 1:30 p.m., and the second one was at 3:10 p.m. in Cagdianao, Dinagat Islands.
Despite the three landfalls, Odette maintained its maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 270 km/h, and central pressure of 915 hPa.
It is moving westward at 30 km/h, and will cross several provinces in Central and Western Visayas regions before emerging over the Sulu Sea tomorrow, Dec. 17.
Aside from Negros Occidental, TCWS No. 4 was also hoisted over central and southern portions of Negros Oriental, including 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, and Amlan; southern Leyte, the southwestern portion of Leyte, Bohol, the central and southern portions of Cebu in the Visayas, and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, in Mindanao.
There is a moderate to high risk of storm surge of up to 3.0 meters in height which may cause life-threatening flooding in the low-lying coastal areas of Negros Occidental, Central Visayas, Iloilo, Guimaras, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, and several localities in the northern portion of Palawan, Antique, the southern portions of Samar and Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Misamis Oriental, the weather bureau said.
TCWS No. 3, with destructive typhoon-force winds prevailing or expected within 18 hours, meanwhile, was hoisted over Bacolod City, the northern portion of Negros Occidental, including Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Talisay City, Silay City, Murcia, Bago City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota City, and San Enrique; Guimaras, the rest of southern portion of Leyte, the northern portion of Cebu, the rest of Negros Oriental, Siquijor, southern portion of Iloilo, and the southern portion of Antique in the Visayas;
The northern portion of Agusan del Norte, and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur in Mindanao; and the Cagayancillo Islands in Luzon.
The rest of Negros Occidental, the rest of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, the rest of Antique, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, the rest of Leyte, and the rest of Cebu in the Visayas; Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and mainland Palawan in Luzon, and the rest of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, the rest of Agusan del Norte, the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental, the northern portion of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, the northern portion of Bukidnon, and the northern portion of Lanao del Sur in Mindanao are under TCWS No. 2.
Several areas in Luzon and Mindanao are also under TCWS No. 1.
Heavy to torrential rains will be felt until tomorrow morning in Negros Occidental, Caraga, Central Visayas, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, and Southern Leyte.
“Odette” is forecast to cross the northern or central portion of Palawan tomorrow afternoon or evening before emerging over the West Philippine Sea, PAGASA added.| CGC
