Depression over Bay of Bengal intensifies into cyclonic storm

The deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm, named Fani, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) said on Saturday (April 27).

“Deep depression over southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm Fani over southeast Bay of Bengal and lay centred at 1130 hrs IST of April 27 about 1190 km southeast of Chennai,” a brief message from RMC said.

Speaking to the The Federal, S Balachandran, director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, said, “The storm, named ‘Fani’ is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm within a day’s time. It is expected to move northwestwards and reach north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts on April 30.”

He added that the name for the storm was suggested by Bangladesh.

However, chances of the storm crossing the Tamil Nadu coast, as of now, is not very high, he further said and added that the system was being monitored closely.

When asked about the exact spot of the landfall, he said that it is not possible to predict the precise location.

Meanwhile, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast light to moderate rainfall at many places with heavy falls at isolated places as very likely over Kerala on April 29 and 30.

It forecast light to moderate rainfall at few places over north coastal Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh on April 30 and May 1.

Besides squally winds that were very likely to become gale gusting up to a maximum of 145 kmph in the next two days in the Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal, the sea condition was also rough to very rough in these areas, it said.

IMD advised fishermen not to venture into deep sea areas of Sri Lanka, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts between April 27 and May 1.

Those who are out in deep sea areas were advised to return to the coast by April 28, it added.

(With inputs from agencies.)