Cyclone Maha very likely to weaken into depression, moderate to heavy rainfall expected in parts of Gujarat, Maharashtra

New Delhi: Cyclone storm Maha, currently over the Arabian Sea, is very likely to weaken into a depression by Thursday evening, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said. Following which, light to moderate rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls is expected in parts of Gujarat and Maharashtra.  

IMD on Wednesday night said that Cyclone Maha had moved east-northeastwards with a speed of 21 kmph and lay centered over east-central and adjoining northeast the Arabian Sea, about 250 km southwest of Porbandar in Gujarat and 290 km west-southwest of Diu.

"It is very likely to skirt Saurashtra coast and lay centered about 40 kms south of Diu around noon of November 7 as a deep depression. Continuing to move east-northeastwards, it is very likely to weaken further into a depression by tomorrow evening," it added.

A wind warning has also been issued in Gujarat, Daman, Diu, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Maharashtra in the next few hours. 

Meanwhile, the sea condition will be rough to very rough along & off Gujarat and Maharashtra coasts. The sea condition will be phenomenal over eastcentral and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea during next 12 hours and will be high thereafter for the subsequent 12 hours. 

The fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea till November 8. 

It said that a deep depression, which lay in the Bay of Bengal and is 780 km south-southeast of Odisha's Paradip, is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours.

"It is very likely to move northwestwards for some time and then north-northwestwards towards West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts," the IMD said.