New Delhi (NVI): The deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Burevi’, which is expected to cross the Sri Lankan coast today, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The Met department has also kept the south Tamil Nadu and Kerala under a ‘red warning’ for tomorrow, while an ‘orange alert’ is in place across the two states from Wednesday to Friday.
According to the Cyclone Warning Divison, IMD, the cyclonic storm is likely to emerge into the Gulf of Mannar early tomorrow morning and cross the coast of south Tamil Nadu, between Kanyakumari and Pamban, on December 4.
“The Cyclonic Storm ‘Burevi’ over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 02nd December 2020 over southwest Bay of Bengal, about 240 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 470 km east-southeast of Pamban (India) and 650 km nearly east-northeast of Kanniyakumari (India),” the IMD said.
Cyclonic Storm ‘Burevi’ over southwest Bay of Bengal about 240 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 470 km east-southeast of Pamban (India) and 650 km nearly east-northeast of Kanniyakumari (India) at at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 02nd December 2020 pic.twitter.com/HXsQ5JKTls
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 2, 2020
It is very likely to intensify further during next 12 hours and move west-northwestwards and cross Sri Lanka coast, close to north of Trincomalee during evening or night of December 2 as a Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph, the Met department said.
Thereon, it is very likely to move nearly west-northwestwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on December 3. It would then move nearly west-southwestwards and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanniyakumari and Pamban around early morning of December 4.
Under the influence of the cyclone, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at a few places over south Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and extremely heavy rainfall has also been forecast at places on December 3.
“Similar spells are also forecast on the preceding and following days as well in several parts of the two states, including Kanyakumari and Thiruvananthapuram,” IMD said
Meanwhile, damaging winds and very rough sea conditions are expected across the southwest Bay of Bengal and along and off the coasts of Sri Lanka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the weather agency said.
The Met department has further urged for total suspension of fishing activities from Wednesday to Saturday in these areas. “Fishermen are advised not to venture into southwest Bay of Bengal and along and off east Sri Lanka coast from 2 to 3 December,” it added.
-RJV
