In a fortnight, second cyclone heading towards Indian coast

In a span of two weeks, the Indian coast is bracing for yet another cyclone, this time along the west.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) has turned on its cyclone-watch over a low pressure system that formed on Sunday. It presently lies over the Southeast and east-central Arabian Sea, just off north-Kerala and Karnataka coast as on Sunday afternoon.

Cyclone Amphan, formed in the Bay of Bengal, had hit West Bengal and Bangladesh on May 20.

“The low pressure is likely to concentrate into a depression over the next 24 hours and most likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Tuesday,” the latest bulletin issued by IMD read.

If realised, the storm is expected to traverse northwards till June 2 and later recurve in the northeast direction and inch closer to the west coast. It is expected to reach north Maharashtra and Gujarat, IMD officials said, and cause rainfall around June 3.

“Under the influence of this system, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over Karnataka, Goa, south Maharashtra and Konkan till June 3,” said a senior official from IMD, Pune.

During the last three days, a similar low pressure system formed in the western Arabian Sea had intensified into a depression. It is now located close to Oman coast and will remain largely stationary for the upcoming 12 hours.

Meanwhile, conditions are becoming favourable for the Southwest monsoon to advance over rest parts of Maldives-Comorin areas during the next 24 hours.

The monsoon is most likely to make an onset over Kerala within next 24 to 36 hours, IMD officials said.

“Under the influence of this system, moderate to heavy rainfall is expected over Karnataka, Goa, south Maharashtra and Konkan till June 3,” said a senior official from IMD, Pune.

Indian express