The India Meteorological Department (IMD) yesterday issued a cyclonic storm warning to the states of Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The organisation warned of a well-marked low pressure system over equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal which is likely to intensify into a cyclone in the coming days.
"The depression over East Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining south-east Bay of Bengal has moved north-westwards with a speed of about 16 kmph in last 03 hours and lay centred at about 1090 km east south-east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1440 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1720 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh). It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 24 hours and into a Cyclonic Storm during the subsequent 12 hours," the IMD stated in its advisory.
"Wind speeds are likely to hover between 35-75 km/hour in the next one week with heavy to very heavy rainfall predicted on April 30 and May 1. Fishermen have been advised not to venture forth into the sea during this period," it further said.