Odette brings heavy rains to Cagayan; power interruptions reported

Tropical Storm Odette brought moderate to heavy rains in Cagayan after it made landfall on Thursday night.

In an interview on Unang Balita on Friday, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said they have yet to receive reports of damage or casualties as of 6 a.m.

Mamba also said the storm did not have strong winds.

Power interruptions were intermittent, Mamba said.

There are inflows and bridge overflows, but no flooding as of the same time, added the governor.

The center of the storm was in the vicinity of Allacapan town in Cagayan as of 5 a.m. Friday, according to PAGASA. Odette has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 100 kph, the weather bureau said.

Classes up to the senior high school level in Cagayan have been canceled.

PAGASA raised Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) No. 2 over Cagayan and Batanes, including Babuyan Islands, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte.

TCWS No. 1, meanwhile, has been issued over Isabela, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Benguet as of 5:21 a.m.

TS Odette has slightly intensified, according to PAGASA.

Isabela

Meanwhile, in Isabela, heavy rains poured on Thursday even before Odette made landfall in Cagayan, according to a report on Unang Balita on Friday by Vonne Aquino.

Power was out for eight hours in Alicia, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, and parts of Cauayan City.

Authorities also monitored the water level in rivers to ensure residents' safety.

Abra

In Bangued, Abra, farmers made an early harvest of palay in ricefields to avoid crop damage from heavy rains.

Some crops were already damaged by strong winds brought by Tropical Storm Odette.

Ilocos Norte

Likewise, in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, farmers hurriedly harvested their crop to prevent damage.

In Pasuquin, some fishermen disregarded authorities' warning and went ahead to go fishing in the open sea.

However, due to the strong winds, they were forced to return to shore.

City disaster risk reduction and management personnel in Laoag City were on the alert to respond as necessary should the weather worsen. —Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/KG, GMA News