RESCUE OPERATION. Personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Northern Mindanao conduct rescue operations to help residents near Osmeña Creek, Cagayan de Oro City affected by floods due to Typhoon Odette on Thursday (Dec. 16, 2021). Odette has further intensified as it made a landfall over Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte at 1:30 p.m. Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour. (Photo courtesy of PCG FB page)
MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday assured that national and local governments are teaming up to respond to the needs of communities to be hit by Typhoon Odette.
“All hands are on deck in government’s quick response as Typhoon Odette made landfall this afternoon,” Acting Presidential Spokesperson, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a Palace statement.
Citing data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Nograles said the agency has available disaster response standby funds and family food packs prepositioned in different strategic areas in the typhoon-affected regions.
He said concerned government agencies have pre-emptively evacuated a total of 98,091 persons from Regions 7 (Central Visayas), 8 (Eastern Visayas), 10(Northern Mindanao), and Caraga, as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Nograles urged the public, especially those on or near the typhoon’s projected path, to keep monitoring the situation and conduct all necessary preparations and precautions.
“We continue to remind the public, especially those in typhoon-affected regions, to take the necessary precautionary measures and cooperate with respective authorities should there be a need for immediate evacuation in your areas,” he added.
Remain watchful, careful
President Rodrigo Duterte, for his part, reassured the public that various government agencies are closely monitoring the movement of Typhoon Odette.
“We have undertaken all necessary precautions, prepositioned resources and closely coordinated with the localities to prepare for immediate emergency and relief response,” he said in a speech in Quezon City.
He called on the public to be always vigilant by staying up to date on advisories issued by the government.
“Still, we must remain watchful and careful of development. Let us ensure that our people in the areas of the path of the typhoon will be safe and well,” he said.
In its 2 p.m. weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of the eye of Typhoon Odette was located in the vicinity of Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte.
It is now packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 240 kph.
PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 in Southern Leyte, the southwestern portion of Leyte, Bohol, the central and southern portions of Cebu.
TCWS No. 4 is also raised in Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands.
The rest of the southern portion of Leyte, the northern portion and extreme southern portion of Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, the southern and central portions of Negros Occidental, Guimaras, the southern portion of Iloilo, and the southern portion of Antique are under TCWS No.3.
Also under TCWS No. 3 are the northern portion of Agusan del Norte, and the northern portion of Surigao del Sur.
Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, mainlanad Palawan including Kalayaan, Balabac, Cuyo, Calamian, and Cagayancillo Islands
Visayas, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, the rest of Leyte, the rest of Cebu, the rest of Negros Occidental, the rest of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and the rest of Antique are under TCWS No. 2.
TCWS No. 2 was also raised in the rest of Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, the rest of Agusan del Norte, the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, the extreme northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental, the northern portion of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, the northern portion of Bukidnon, and the northern portion of Lanao del Sur.
Meanwhile, TCWS No. 1 is raised in Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, Marinduque, the southern portion of Quezon and Batangas.
The northern portion of Davao Oriental, the northern portion of Davao de Oro, the northern portion of Davao del Norte, the rest of Bukidnon, the rest of Lanao del Norte, the rest of Lanao del Sur, the rest of northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, the rest of northern portion of Zamboanga del Sur, and the northern portion of Zamboanga Sibugay are also under TCWS No.1. (PNA)
