Signal No. 1 in 11 provinces as ‘Odette’ threatens Luzon

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has placed at least 11 areas in Luzon under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1, as tropical depression ‘Odette’ threatens to make landfall over Cagayan Valley Thursday night.

Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Batanes, Cagayan, Babuyan group of islands, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur.

PAGASA weather forecaster Nikos Peñaranda warned of moderate to heavy rains over these areas, which could trigger landslides and flashfloods.

Before Thursday noon, ‘Odette’ has maintained its west-ward track but slightly faster at 30 kilometers per hour (kph).

Peñaranda said the cyclone is generally moving towards Northern Luzon.

Cagayan landfall Should it maintain its current speed and direction, Peñaranda said ‘Odette’ will be making landfall over Cagayan province late Thursday.

Odette was estimated at 540 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City at around 10 a.m. Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

Peñaranda said Odette will likely intensify into a storm with maximum sustained winds of 80 kph before its expected landfall Thursday evening.

PAGASA is expected to raise cyclone warning Signal No. 2 over areas that will be directly affected by the weather disturbance late Thursday, he added.

The center of Odette will move across Cagayan, Kalinga, Abra, and Ilocos Norte, before leaving the landmass of Northern Luzon by Friday morning, he also said.

According to PAGASA-Weather Division’s Marine Meteorological Services Section Chief Rene Paciente, light to moderate rains have been affecting parts of northern Luzon as early as Thursday.

Rains will become moderate to heavy as “Odette” moves closer to the area, he added.

Metro Manila forecast Likewise, Metro Manila will experience light to moderate rains beginning Thursday evening due to the outer circulation of ‘Odette’, Paciente said.

Peñaranda added that thunderstorms will likely affect Metro Manila early Friday bringing light to moderate to at times heavy rains until morning.

The metropolis will experience a lull in rain mid-Friday, before rains resume in the afternoon.

He also warned of rough to very rough seas over the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, making sea travel over the area risky, especially for small sea vessels.

Odette is expected to leave the country’s area of responsibility by Saturday morning.

Dam level alert In another development, hydrologist Socrates Paat said PAGASA issued on Thursday an advisory to Magat and Binga Dam authorities pertaining the “commencement of flood precaution period” due to the expected landfall of ‘Odette.’

Currently, Magat Dam in Isabela is still 4.5 meters below its normal high water level but PAGASA still warned residents living near low-lying areas of possible flooding should authorities decide to release excess water from the dam.