Signal no. 4 raised over Batanes as Odette strengthens

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Storm warning signal number 4 was raised over the Batanes Group of Islands as Typhoon Odette accelerated, gained more strength and moved closer to extreme northern Luzon. 

In its Friday 11 am bulletin, state weather bureau PAGASA said Odette was located 350 kilometers east northeast of Aparri, Cagayan or 360 km east of Calayan Island as of 10 am, September 20.

Areas under signal number 4 can expect winds of more than 185 kilometers per hour within the next 12 hours. The following storm warning signals were placed over provinces in north Luzon:

Storm warning signal number 3: (winds of 101-185 km/h in the next 18 hours):

• Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands

Storm warning signal number 2: (winds of 61-100 km/h in the next 24 hours)

• Apayao 
• Cayagan including Calayan ang Babuyan Group of Islands
• Ilocos Norte

Storm warning signal number 1: (winds of 30-60 km/h within the next 36 hours)

• Abra
• Kalinga 
• Isabela
• Northern Aurora 
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Benguet 
• La Union 
• Ilocos Sur
• Mountain Province 
• Ifugao

Odette is expected to bring 10-20 millimeters of rain per hour within the 900 km diameter of the storm. The typhoon packs winds of 205 km/h near the center with gustiness of up to 240 km/h, moving northwest at 19 km/h.

Those living in areas under storm warning signals are advised to caution against flashf loods, landslides, and storm surges. Sea travel over the western seaboard of southern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of central and Southern Luzon and Visayas is considered risky.

Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon and western Visayas can expect heavy rain and thunderstorms today as Odette continues to enhance the southwest monsoon.

The rest of Visayas will see cloudy skies with rain showers and thunderstorms while Mindanao can expected cloudy weather with isolated rain and thunderstorms.

Odette is expected to be 100 km east of Basco, Batanes by Saturday morning. By Sunday morning, the typhoon is expected to move out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility, 260 km northwest of Basco, Batanes, or 80 km west of Southern Taiwan.

PAGASA will next issue a bulletin on Odette at 5 pm today. -Rappler.com