Cyclone MAHA Update: Heavy Rain Alert in Lakshadweep, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu as Cyclonic Storm Intensifies Over Arabian Sea

New Delhi/Mumbai, October 31: The India Meteorological Department on Thursday informed that MAHA -- pronounced as M’maha -- cyclone has intensified into a severe cyclone storm over Lakshadweep and adjoining the southeast Arabian Sea. It also stated that the cyclone Maha had intensified into a severe storm over the Maldives too. However, the other severe cyclone Kyarr had weakened gradually, the weather department added.

According to the latest bulletin by the weather department, due to the intensified impact of cyclone Maha, gusting wind with speed of 90-100 kmph had been expected on Thursday. The wind speed is likely to rise till 130 kmph on Friday, 140 kmph by Saturday, 155 kmph by Sunday and 16 kmph by Monday. Following this change in the speed, the cyclonic storm is expected to turn into the very severe category. Cyclone Kyarr Deepens Over Southern Coast of India, IMD Issues Orange Alert for Several Districts of Kerala.

Heavy to heavy rainfall has been predicted at isolated places of Kerala, coastal Karnataka and south Tamil Nadu on Thursday and Friday. Apart from these areas, heavy rains have been predicted for isolated places situated over the Lakshadweep Islands.

Here's IMD' tweet:

The India Meteorological Department said, "Cyclone Maha is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards across Lakshadweep Islands during next 12 hours. Then it is very likely to move northwestwards, emerge into the east-central Arabian Sea during subsequent 12 hours and thereafter move west-northwestwards."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 31, 2019 09:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).