Cyclonic storm predicted; heavy rains likely in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Lakshadweep; fishermen advised not to venture into sea

Heavy rains are likely to continue in isolated places across Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep, as well as at isolated places over Andaman and Nicobar Islands, coastal and south interior Karnataka on Sunday, reports said, as the low pressure weather system in Arabian Sea is likely to become a deep depression and cyclonic storm as it moves northwestwards towards the Oman Coast. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan tweeted on Saturday night that the IMD has issued the first bulletin warning cyclonic storm.

IMD has issued the first cyclone bulletin. Following this, the Additional Chief Secretary DMD has opened his special coordination cell with officials from both KSDMA and NDRF. This cell will function overnight in the Govt Secretariat.

— CMO Kerala (@CMOKerala) October 6, 2018

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has also predicted that a thunderstorm with lightning and gusty winds will occur in isolated places over Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and south interior Karnataka. Winds speed reaching 40-­50 kilometres per hour gusting to 60 kilometres per hour have been predicted over Lakshadweep area and Southeast Arabian Sea, and wind speed 60­-70 kilometres per hour gusting to 80 kilometres per hour central Arabian sea. Rough to very rough sea conditions have been predicted over Lakshadweep area and the central Arabian Sea area. The IMD forecast said that fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas. The Indian Coast Guard has also taken steps to ensure fishermen have not sailed into the impending storm. They coordinated with rescue centre along the Oman coast to assist missing or stranded fishermen in the region:

Rough to Very Rough sea prevails over South East Arabian Sea while system moves in NWly direction @IndiaCoastGuard coordinates with Rescue coordination centre of #Muscat #Oman #Sanaa & #Yemen to assist Indian Fishing Boats & Dhows in their respective #SAR Regions @DefenceMinIndia pic.twitter.com/ntloXQ2zJH

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) October 7, 2018

@IndiaCoastGuard Five #CoastGuard Ships & Aircraft have been deployed to advise fishermen at sea to return harbour. Advisory in local languages being relayed to #Kerala & #TamilNadu registered boats operating off #Lakshdweep & adjoining areas. @DefenceMinIndia @SpokespersonMoD pic.twitter.com/Tg0RXE01ZX

— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) October 6, 2018

However, the Kerala Meteorological Department withdrew the red alert issued on Saturday for Idukki and Malappuram districts of the state, ANI reported. Vijayan said that the red alert has been changed to orange, however, “heavy rainfall is forecasted for Wayanad, Malappuram, Palakkad, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts”. The IMD had put Kerala and Tamil Nadu on high alert earlier this week, predicting heavy rains over the weekend due to the deepening of a low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea. According to the IMD bulletin released on 6 October, the low pressure would likely become more marked, and concentrate into a depression. They predicted that the depression would likely intensify into a cyclonic storm and move towards Oman’s coast thereafter. Following the warning, one shutter of the Cheruthoni dam in Idukki was opened on 6 October, and 50 cumecs of water released from the reservoir, ANI reported. The district administration authorities on Friday had warned the people residing near the dam to take necessary precautions, The New Indian Express had reported. A high-level meeting was called by Idukki District Collector K Jeevan Babu to decide when the shutters would be opened.