'Odette' gains strength; storm signals up in 12 areas

MANILA, Philippines - More areas were placed under storm warning signals on Thursday afternoon as Typhoon "Odette" gained strength and moved toward Northern Luzon, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 p.m. bulletin that the center of Typhoon Odette was located at 570 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City.

The typhoon is packed with maximum sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 195 kph.

Odette is forecast to move west at 13 kph.

Public storm warning signal no. 2 has been hoisted over Cagayan, Apayao and the Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan groups of islands.

Areas under public storm warning signal no. 1 include the Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Abra, Kalinga and Isabela.

Heavy to intense rainfall (10 to 20 millimeters) per hour is expected within the 700-km diameter of the typhoon.

PAGASA warned residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under the storm signals against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Those under signal no. 2 are also alerted against storm surges.

PAGASA said Odette will continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or "Habagat" that will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over the Mimaropa and Western Visayas regions and over the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.

It also warned that sea travel is risky over the seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Palawan and over the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon and of Visayas.

Odette is expected to be at 320 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan on Friday afternoon, PAGASA said.