The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday revealed that the depression over the East Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal lay centred at about 1,440 km southeast of Chennai. The depression has intensified and moved further northwestwards and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm.
The IMD said, “The depression over east Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal moved further northwestwards, intensified into a deep depression and lay centred about 870 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 1210 km southeast of Chennai and 1500 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam in Andhra Pradesh. It is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours and further into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours.”
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The weather office warned, There would be strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph along and off Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and over Kerala. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas.”
It is very likely to move northwestwards off Sri Lanka coast during the next 72 hours and reach near north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts on April 30. Kerala could experience thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds. The thunderstorm and strong winds will hit coastal Andhra Pradesh, coastal and south Interior Karnataka and Tamil Nadu on Monday and Tuesday.
As per convention, this cyclone was named Fani by Bangladesh. The next cyclone of the season will be named by India as Vayu.
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