Coastal districts of Maharashtra are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday as a possible cyclonic storm brews in the Arabian Sea. The India Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for several areas in western India till next week while other parts of the country continue to face severe wave conditions. The IMD also issued a clarification on Thursday to debunk claims that a cyclone was developing near the Odisha-West Bengal coast.
“A low-pressure area lies over east-central Arabian Sea off south Konkan-Goa. It is likely to move nearly northwards and intensify further into a depression during next 36 hours. There is also possibility of its further intensification thereafter,” the weather department warned in its Thursday afternoon bulletin.
It is pertinent to note that no official cyclone warning has been sounded till now. The IMD is likely to share an additional update if the storm intensifies on Friday. The weather department has already issued a warning for fishermen venturing out along the western coast of India over the next few days.