Cyclone Gulab likely to intensify into cyclonic storm in Arabian sea; IMD predicts heavy rains in Gujarat's Saurashtra

Ahmedabad: The remnant of cyclone Gulab has turned into a depression, moved into the Gulf of Kutch and is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. Due to this weather system, heavy rains were witnessed in Gujarat’s Saurashtra region in the last 24 hours. The IMD has predicted heavy rains in the state’s coastal districts over the next two days. “Yesterday’s well-marked low-pressure area over south Gujarat region and adjoining Gulf of Khambhat moved west-northwestwards and emerged into the Gulf of Kutch, concentrated into a depression and lay centred there at 5.30 am today,” an IMD release said. “It is about 50 km east-northeast of Devbhoomi Dwarka (Gujarat), 90 km east-southeast of Naliya (in Kutch) and 340 km east-southeast of Karachi (Pakistan),” the release said. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over the northeast Arabian Sea off the north Gujarat coast during the next 12 hours, the weather department said. “It is then very likely to move further west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours. Thereafter, it is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards towards Pakistan-Makran coasts, moving away from the Indian coast,” the IMD said. Heavy rainfall is expected for the next two days in the coastal districts of Jamnagar, Porbandar, Dwarka and Kutch, it said, and asked fishermen not to venture into the sea. Due to the present weather system, Junagadh, Amreli, Dwarka, Jamnagar and Rajkot districts received heavy rains in the last 24 hours, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said. In the 24-hour period ending at 6 am on Thursday morning, Visavadar taluka in Junagadh district recorded 292 mm, Lilya in Amreli district received 141 mm downpour, while Khambhaliya and Kalyanpur in Devbhumi Dwarka district got 140 mm and 135 mm rainfall, respectively, it added.