Kalayaan Islands under Signal No. 2 as Odette moves away

The Kalayaan Islands remained under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 even as Typhoon Odette further moved away, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Saturday night.

Based on PAGASA’s 11 p.m. weather bulletin, the center of Odette was spotted 180 kilometers northwest of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan (outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility).

It has sustained maximum winds of 185 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

According to the weather bureau, it was moving west northwestward at 25 kph.

Heavy to torrential rains will be experienced in Kalayaan Islands on Saturday night until Sunday afternoon, PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, damaging gale- to storm-force winds will be experienced in Kalayaan Islands. This may cause light to moderate damage to structures and vegetation.

The weather bureau warned that there was a continuous threat of coastal flooding due to storm surge in the Kalayaan Islands.

PAGASA also advised mariners and seafarers in the Kalayaan Islands to remain in port or take shelter until the winds and waves subside.

The typhoon will track generally northwestward on Sunday, then northward to north northeastward on Monday over the sea areas east of central Vietnam and Hainan Island, PAGASA said. 

It also said Odette is expected to be downgraded to a severe tropical storm by Monday. — VBL, GMA News