The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert in Lakshadweep as Cyclone Maha, centered over the area and adjoining southeast Arabian sea, is likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm bringing extremely heavy rainfall.
Squally weather with lightning and thunderstorm is likely to prevail over Lakshadweep, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.
The agency also advised fishermen not to venture into the west-central Arabian Sea till November 3 and into adjoining north and the east-central Arabian Sea during the next 24 hours.
The IMD also predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over Kerala, south Tamilnadu and Coastal Karnataka and Heavy rainfall over Rayalseema, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & South Interior Karnataka during the next 24 hrs.
Earlier today, an orange alert was issued in four districts of Kerala - Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kozhikode and a yellow alert was issued for all other districts of the state.
Due to the adverse weather conditions, all educational institutions in coastal taluks, Kochi and Paravur will stay closed on Thursday. The state government has also restricted access to beaches in the districts.
On Wednesday, Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review preparations for the cyclone over the Comorin and adjoining Lakshadweep Islands.
"IMD informed that the Depression that had developed in the Comorin Sea, has now intensified into a Cyclonic storm. It is likely to cross Lakshadweep Islands by the noon of October 31, 2019, as a Severe Cyclonic Storm and emerge thereafter into the east Central Arabian Sea. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1 metre, is expected," Union government said in a press statement.
The government said that it has carried out all the necessary preparations. People living in the low lying areas have been relocated to shelter homes and are being provided with food and water. Teams of Coast Guard and Indian Navy are on the standby for any eventuality
