Ilocos fishers told not to venture out to sea due to ‘Odette’

Administrative divisions of Ilocos Norte (Photo by Roel Balingit – File:PhlMapCit.svg by User:Felipe_Airaderivative work: User:Namayan, CC BY-SA 3.0)

LAOAG CITY– Due to heightened alert over typhoon “Odette”, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Resiliency Council (PDRRMRC) in Ilocos Norte has advised fishers to avoid going out to the sea for any fishing activity.

The PDRRMRC immediately convened October 12 following the state weather bureau’s bulletin placing Ilocos Norte under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 along with the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Ilocos Sur and the Babuyan Group of Islands.

Upon the pronouncement of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) at 8 am on Thursday, the resiliency desk issued an order to the local government units (LGUs) in the coastal areas here to monitor and prohibit fishing as typhoon Odette maintained its strength and moves towards Cagayan and Isabela.

Wave height at the open sea ranges from 1.25 to 4.0 meters.

Since Wednesday, Ilocos Norte has been experiencing intermittent rains, prompting some rice farmers to speed up drying their harvest.

As of 7:00 am Thursday, “Odette” has sustained maximum winds of up to 55kph near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

Typhoon Odette is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Sunday morning, 725 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. (PNA)