Over 45,000 people displaced due to ‘Odette’

Photo from Philippine Red Cross
Photo from Philippine Red Cross

OVER 45,300 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated in areas affected by Typhoon Odette (Rai), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said on Thursday, December 16, 2021.

The NDRRMC said a total of 17,165 persons or 4,615 families were displaced in Eastern Visayas and 28,2018 people or 7,622 families in Caraga in Mindanao.

They were catered by their respective local government units.

The agency earlier classified these regions as high risk, along with Mimaropa; Western, Central and Eastern Visayas; Northern Mindanao; and Soccsksargen.

Areas under medium risk were Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Calabarzon, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The Cordillera Administrative Region, National Capital Region and Central Luzon were at low risk.

The Office of the Civil Defense and the Department of Social Welfare and Development said they have prepared P331 million worth of food and non-food items to assist the families to be affected by the weather disturbance.

Meantime, the NDRRMC said it has already recorded a rain-induced landslide incident in Caraga, while one road there was also reported not passable.

Power outages were also experienced in Liloan and Pintuyan, Southern Leyte.

Sea, air and land travels in areas affected by the typhoon are still limited.

As of 8 a.m. the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Odette was rapidly intensifying as it approaches the vicinity of Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Island.

At 4 a.m., Odette was spotted 265 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 205 km/h, and central pressure of 950 hPa.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 3 was up in Southern Leyte, the southern portion of Leyte (Abuyog, Mahaplag, City of Baybay, Inopacan, Hindang, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Javier), Bohol, and the central and southern portions of Cebu (Lapu-Lapu City, Cordova, Carmen, Danao City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Mandaue City, Cebu City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla, City of Naga, San Fernando, Ginatilan, Samboan, Santander, Oslob, Badian, Dalaguete, Alcoy, Boljoon, Malabuyoc, Alegria, Argao, Catmon, Tuburan, Asturias, Sogod, Balamban, Toledo City, Pinamungahan, City of Carcar, Aloguinsan, Barili, Dumanjug, Sibonga, Moalboal, Ronda, Alcantara) including Camotes Islands in Visayas region and Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, the northern portion of Agusan del Norte (Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga, Kitcharao), and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur (Carrascal, Cantilan, Madrid, Carmen, Lanuza, Cortes, City of Tandag) in Mindanao.

Pagasa said destructive typhoon-force winds are prevailing or is expected within 18 hours in these areas.

Sorsogon, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao), and Romblon in Luzon and Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, the rest of Leyte, the rest of Cebu including Bantayan Islands, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Siquijor, Guimaras, Iloilo, Antique, Capiz, and Aklan in Visayas were under TCWS 2.

The rest of Surigao del Sur, the rest of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, the northern portion of Bukidnon (Malitbog, Impasug-Ong, Manolo Fortich, Libona, Baungon, Sumilao), Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, the northern portion of Misamis Occidental (Lopez Jaena, Plaridel, Baliangao, Calamba, Sapang Dalaga, Concepcion, Oroquieta City, Aloran), and the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte (Rizal, Sibutad, Dapitan City, Dipolog City, Polanco, Piñan, La Libertad, Mutia) in Mindanao were also under TCWS 2.

Several other areas in Luzon and Mindanao were placed under TCWS number 1.

“On the forecast track, Typhoon Odette will continue moving generally westward over the Philippine Sea and the center of its eye is forecast to make its initial landfall in the vicinity of Dinagat Islands, Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands, or the northern portion of Surigao del Sur this noon or early afternoon,” said Pagasa.

“Afterwards, the center of Odette will move westward and cross several provinces in Central and Western Visayas regions before emerging over the Sulu Sea tomorrow morning. After passing near or in the vicinity of either Cuyo or Cagayancillo archipelago, Odette is forecast to cross the northern or central portion of Palawan tomorrow afternoon or evening before emerging over the West Philippine Sea,” it added. (SunStar Philippines)

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