Cyclonic storm Fani, which is moving over the southeast Bay of Bengal on Monday, is expected to intensify in the coming 24 hours into a very severe cyclonic storm, the government has said.
At 08.30am on Monday, Fani was approximately 870km east-southeast of Chennai and was moving northwards. As a result of the approach of Fani, light-to-moderate rainfall is very likely over Kerala, north coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh on Monday and Tuesday. Heavy rainfall is possible in isolated places in Kerala.
Light-to-moderate rainfall is forecast over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha on May 2, which could intensify from May 3. The Indian Meteorological Department has also forecast light-to-moderate rainfall in many places in coastal West Bengal from May 3.
Fani is also likely to bring high-speed winds over the southern states from Monday. Winds gusting up to 50kmph are likely along coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. From Tuesday evening, the wind speed could rise up to gusts of 70kmph along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
The Kerala coast is also expected to see strong winds, gusting up to 50kmph from Monday, which could intensify on Tuesday.
Squally winds have also been forecast for the northern coast of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha from May 2, which could intensify on May 3, with gusting up to 70kmph.
“Sea conditions are very likely to be rough to very rough along and off Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coasts till Wednesday, along and off north Andhra Pradesh coasts on May 1-3 and along and off Odisha coast from May 2 onwards,” a PIB press release on Fani warned.
Fishermen in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh have been asked not to venture into the sea till Wednesday. Similar warnings have been issued to fishermen on the Odisha coast, with effect from May 2 onwards.
