Cyclonic storm to move towards Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast in next 24 hours: IMD

Due to well-marked low pressure over southwest Bay of Bengal, a cyclonic storm is expected on the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast in the next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed on Monday. "The well-marked low pressure over southwest Bay of Bengal is very likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and move towards Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast. It's likely to cross between Karaikal & Mamallapuram by November 25 afternoon," said S Balachandran, IMD Chennai.

On Sunday, the IMD had said the "very severe" cyclonic storm "GATI" over the southwest Arabian Sea has moved westwards. "Very severe cyclonic storm 'GATI' over the southwest Arabian Sea moved westwards and lay centred over the southwest Arabian Sea near Latitude 10.4° N and Longitude 51.5°E, about 40 km east of Somalia coast & 90 km south-southeast of Ras Binnah (Somalia) at 1730 hrs IST today," IMD had tweeted.

"The well-marked low-pressure area over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal persists. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal during next 12 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours," IMD added.