Preemptive evacuation began Thursday, December 16, as Signal No. 4 was hoisted over southern and central Negros Occidental, while the rest of the province remained under Signal No. 2, as Typhoon “Odette” lashed.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) placed central and southern portions of Negros Occidental (La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Kabankalan City, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, Sipalay City, and Hinoba-an) under Signal No. 4 at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The rest of Negros Occidental remained under Signal No 2.
Zeaphard Gerhart Caelian, Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head, said 837 families were preemptively evacuated from 20 barangays in six local government units as of 5 p.m. Thursday.
Evacuated families in Escalante City were 86, Sagay City – 401, Silay City – 24, Cauayan – 76, Hinigaran – 50 and Himamaylan – 200.
Evacuations were also underway in San Carlos City, Talisay City Binalbagan and Moises Padilla Thursday night.
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said Negros Occidental was prepared for the typhoon that was expected to hit the province Thursday afternoon until early Friday morning.
“We stressed the need for preemptive evacuation because while everybody is sleeping that is when the typhoon will hit,” he said.
“We fervently pray that damages will be minimal but the way it’s going its looks like higher alert levels will be raised. Let us continue to pray that no lives will be lost,” he said.
Aside from zero casualties among humans, the governor said he has also asked the provincial veterinarian to help ensure zero casualties among livestock.
The center of the eye of Typhoon “Odette” at 4:50 p.m. Thursday was in the vicinity of Liloan, Southern Leyte, PAGASA said.
It had maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 270 km/h, and central pressure of 915 hPa, PAGASA said
It was moving westward at 30 km/h. and strong winds extend outwards up to 480 km from the center, it added.*