The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an alert over a second cyclone brewing in the Arabian Sea, even as severe cyclone Kyarr remains active in the sea as it paces away from the western coast of India toward Oman.
The weather department has issued a heavy rainfall alert over Lakshadweep and Kerala for the next two days and recommended suspension of fishing operations in the Lakshadweep area and along and off the Kerala, Karnataka and south Tamil Nadu coasts till 2 November.
The depression that had developed in the Comorin Sea intensified into a cyclonic storm named Maha on Wednesday evening. According to IMD, it is likely to cross Lakshadweep Islands by Thursday noon as a severe cyclonic storm and emerge thereafter into the east Central Arabian Sea.
The latest forecast suggests that the cyclone is rapidly intensifying and could become a very severe cyclonic storm on Friday.
The weather department has warned of extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over Lakshadweep Islands and heavy rainfall over Kerala during the next two days. Winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1 mtr, are expected in the Lakshadweep area.
The southern districts of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and coastal Karnataka could also receive moderate to heavy rainfall during the next two days. Squally winds reaching 50kmph are likely along Kerala and Karnataka coast.
The Lakshadweep Administration have recalled the fishermen have been recalled to the shore and has started making arrangements for evacuating people living in the low lying areas to shelter homes. Teams of Coast Guard and Indian Navy have been put on standby for any eventuality.
Sea conditions will be very rough over Lakshadweep area from 31 October to 2 November and IMD has advised fishermen not to venture out to southeast and eastcentral Arabian Sea during the period.
