MANILA, Philippines –(UPDATE 2 – 2:10 p.m.) After cutting across extreme northern Luzon, tropical storm “Odette” passed over the coast of Ilocos Sur province on its way out to sea past noon Friday October 13.
Odette, which made landfall in Cagayan early Friday morning, is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday night or early Saturday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration last tracked the storm to 454 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos sur.
It maintained its strength of 75 kilometers per hour winds near the center with gusts of up to 100 kph as it moved west at 24 kph.
Tropical cyclone warning signal No. 2, meaning winds of 61-120 kph are expected in 24 hours, was up over Ilocos Norte, Batanes, and the Babuyan Islands.
Signal No. 1, meaning winds of 30-60 kph are expected in 36 hours, was raised over the rest of Cagayan province, Abra, Kalinga, Apayao, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao and Pangasinan.
Authorities have suspended classes in the following areas.
Pre-school to senior high
- Cagayan
- Apayao
- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- Ilocos Norte
Pre-school
- Abra
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Isabela
- Kalinga
All levels
- Cabugao, Ilocos Sur
Pagasa said rainfall within Odette’s 400-km diameters is expected to be moderate to heavy. It warned that sea travel will be risky over the seaboards of northern Luzon.
The Department of Public Works and Highways office in the Cordillera Administrative Region said rain-triggered landslides closed the following roads: Gacab, the Malibcong Section of the Abra-Kalinga Road in Abra, the Badduat and Luttuacan Section of the Conner-Kabugao Road, and the Sadel Section of the CalanasanPayao-Ilocos Norte in Apayao.
Also closed are the Banaue, Ifugao-Benguet Boundary Road in Tulludan, Tinoc, Ifugao and the Junction Talubin Road-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis Road, especially its Balabag section. (with a report from Aldwin Quitasol, InterAksyon)
