Tropical depression may enter PAR Tuesday, named Odette

A low pressure area southeast of Palau has developed into a tropical depression and may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday.

PAGASA forecasts that once inside PAR, it will be named Odette and could intensify into a typhoon by Thursday, potentially making landfall in Eastern Visayas or Caraga region.

The tropical depression currently has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center with gustiness up to 55 km/h and is almost stationary.

Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman Sen. Richard Gordon directed PRC services, chapters, and volunteers to prepare for possible effects of the incoming storm.