MANILA—Typhoon Odette has further intensified while approaching the Bucas Grande-Siargao Islands and Dinagat Islands, state weather bureau PAGASA said Thursday.

The tropical cyclone, with international rame Rai, was last seen 175 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, the agency said in its 11 a.m. advisory.

Odette is currently packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour near centers, with gusts of up to 230 kph.

Southern Leyte and the eastern portion of Bohol were put under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 4, in which very destructive typhoon-force winds will prevail or expected within 12 hours, PAGASA said.

"Winds may reach typhoon strength up to 185 km/h in strength within any of the areas where TCWS #4 is hoisted during the passage of the typhoon," the agency said.

"This may cause generally heavy to very heavy damage to structures and vegetation."

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 3 was raised over the following areas:

• Southern portion of Leyte (Abuyog, Mahaplag, Hilongos, Bato, Matalom, Hindang, Inopacan, City of Baybay, Javier, Macarthur)
• Southern and central portions of Cebu (Camotes Islands, Tuburan, Catmon, Carmen, Danao City, Asturias, Balamban, Cebu City, Compostela, Liloan, Consolacion, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, Toledo City, City of Talisay, Minglanilla, Samboan, Sibonga, Alcoy, Ginatilan, Boljoon, City of Carcar, Malabuyoc, Moalboal, Cordova, Oslob, Aloguinsan, Pinamungahan, Barili, Santander, Badian, Dalaguete, Alcantara, Ronda, Alegria, City of Naga, Argao, San Fernando, Dumanjug, Sogod)
• Rest of Bohol
• Negros Oriental
• Siquijor
• Southern and central portions of Negros Occidental (Calatrava, San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, City of Talisay, Silay City, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Carlota City, San Enrique, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan, City of Kabankalan, Ilog, Cauayan, Candoni, City of Sipalay, Hinoba-An)
• Guimaras

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 2:

• Southern portion Albay (The city of Tabaco, Malilipot, Rapurapu, Bacacay, Santo Domingo, Legazpi City, Manito, Camalig, Daraga, Jovellar, Guinobatan, Pio Duran, City of Ligao, Oas)
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Romblon
• Central and southern portions of Oriental Mindoro (Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao, Socorro, Pola)
• -Central and southern portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose, Magsaysay)
• Palawan (El Nido, Calamian Islands, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli, Cuyo Islands)

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 1:

• Catanduanes
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Rest of Albay
• Marinduque
• Southern portion of Quezon (San Antonio, Tiaong, Candelaria, Sariaya, Dolores, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Padre Burgos, Atimonan, Agdangan, Unisan, Gumaca, Plaridel, Pitogo, Lopez, Guinayangan, Buenavista, Catanauan,
• General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, San Narciso, San Andres, San Francisco, Tagkawayan, Calauag, Quezon,
• Alabat, City of Tayabas, Perez)
• Batangas
• Rest of Oriental Mindoro
• Rest of Occidental Mindoro
• Rest of mainland Palawan including Balabac and Kalayaan Islands
• 'Odette' now a super typhoon, JTWC says

LANDFALL

PAGASA said Odette was forecast to hit land in the vicinity of Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands or Dinagat Islands between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday.

The agency said the typhoon would move westward and cross several provinces in Central and Western Visayas regions before emerging over the Sulu Sea Friday morning.

After passing near or in the vicinity of either Cuyo or Cagayancillo archipelago, Odette is forecast to cross the northern or central portion of Palawan Friday afternoon or evening before emerging over the West Philippine Sea, PAGASA added.

The US Navy and Air Force's Joint Typhoon Warning Center in Hawaii has considered Odette a super typhoon.

The US JTWC classifies typhoons with wind speeds of at least 130 knots, which are equivalent to a Category 4 storm in the Saffir-Simpson scale—as super typhoons. Its readings are based on 1-minute average measurements of sustained winds.

This is different from the tropical cyclone intensity scale used by the Philippine state weather bureau PAGASA, which makes readings based on 10-minute average measurements of sustained winds.

As a result, the US JTWC's wind readings are higher than PAGASA's measurements.

• Tens of thousands flee homes ahead of Typhoon Odette's landfall