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The deep depression over South-East Arabian Sea moved nearly westwards was located to about 50 km west-south-west of Kalpeni, the southern-most atoll in the Lakshadweep Islands this afternoon. It was 110 km south-southeast of Kavaratti and 150 km south-southeast of Agatti. It is likely to intensify further into a cyclone late into tonight or early tomorrow morning, India Met Department (IMD) said.
LIKELY CYCLONE
The cyclone is expected to move nearly westwards across Lakshadweep Islands later tomorrow, the second time a cyclone has forced itself onto the islands after severe cyclone Ockhi in 2017. The prevailing deep depression is a remnant of erstwhile severe cyclone 'Gaja' that lashed Tamil Nadu yesterday, and is likely getting a fresh lease of life as a cyclone in the Arabian Sea.Earlier, it had crossed Kerala as a depression, stepped into the South-East Arabian Sea to intensify as a deep depression, which is only a step away from being a cyclone.
Satellite image taken on November 17, 2018, at 11.45 IST. Source: IMD
Squally winds speeding to 65 km/hr gusting to 75 km/hr are currently prevailing over the South-East Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area. These are expected to scale up gradually increase to 70- 80 km/hr gusting to 90 km/ph during into late this night/early tomorrow.
Squally winds with speed reaching 50 km/hr gusting to 60 km/hr have been forecast along and off the coast of Kerala during this period. The sea condition will be 'rough' to 'very rough' (wave heights of 8 ft to 20 ft) during until tomorrow and 'high' (30 ft) during subsequent two days over the South-East Arabian Sea and Lakshadweep area.
High seas, coastal damage
The sea condition along and off the Kerala coast will also be 'rough' to 'very rough' into tonight and early tomorrow. According to the IMD, the brewing cyclone may wreak damage over Lakshadweep.
The IMD has advised total suspension of fishing operations for next three days over the South-east Arabian Sea, the Lakshadweep and along and off Kerala coast until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the IMD has forecast fairly widespread to widespread rainfall over Tamil Nadu and South Peninsular India with intense rainfall activity over Tamil Nadu from Wednesday to Friday. This is being attributed to a fresh low-pressure area likely shaping up over central parts of South Bay of Bengal by tomorrow evening.
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