Coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh are likely to receive heavy rainfall on Saturday and Sunday amid a possible cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department has said.
A low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclone around Saturday, the weather department said on Wednesday. It is likely to move towards peninsular India.
The weather department first flagged the intensifying weather system on Monday.
The Weather Channel reported that if the low-pressure area evolves into a cyclone, it will be named Michaung – a name suggested by Myanmar. It will be the Bay of Bengal’s fourth cyclone and the Indian Ocean’s sixth this year.
An official forecast on Tuesday suggested that the low-pressure area, which originated near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is currently moving toward Tamil Nadu. Once it morphs into a cyclone, the storm may change its path towards northern Andhra Pradesh or southern Odisha.
Odisha’s Special Relief Commissioner Satyabrata Sahoo has instructed seven coastal districts to maintain caution, the Hindustan Times reported. The districts are Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda and Ganjam.
The meteorological department has warned fishermen against venturing into the southern Andaman Sea on Wednesday and Thursday, and to avoid the southeastern and southwestern Bay of Bengal till Saturday.
The Indian Ocean on average has four cyclones annually, typically after the monsoon season ends. A week ago, Cyclone Midhili made landfall in Bangladesh and brought a spell of rainfall to India’s northeast.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!