The next six hours is crucial as the depression formed over the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal will intensify. Fishermen in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu have been advised not to venture into the sea.
Chennai: The Indian Meteorological Department has said that the depression over the Indian Ocean and southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified and moved north-westwards.
The department has also stated that the depression is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours. It would also turn into a severe cyclonic storm soon after.
Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the sea.
The Met department has said, "The depression over east Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved further north-westwards, intensified into a deep depression and lay centred about 870 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1210 km southeast of Chennai and 1500 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours.”
Also read: Depression hits Indian peninsula; Heavy rainfall expected in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
Further, the system is very likely to move north-westwards off Sri Lanka coast during the next 72 hours and reach near north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts on April 30.
On Sunday, gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph and very rough to high seas are very likely over southwest Bay of Bengal adjoining east Equatorial Indian Ocean along and off Sri Lanka coast, the weather office said.
There would be strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph along and off Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and over Kerala, it said.
"Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas," it said in its "weather warning".
Cyclone Fani is expected to hit Andhra Pradesh coast around April 30, according to IMD sources. This will be the second cyclone to hit Andhra Pradesh in a year, after Phethai made landfall at Kakinada in last December.
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