The first tropical cyclone of the southwest monsoon season formed in the Arabian Sea on Tuesday. According to a bulletin issued by the Kerala Disaster Management Authority here on Tuesday, the depression over the southeast Arabian Sea, about 950 km west-southwest of Goa, 1,100 km southwest of Mumbai, 1,190 km south-southwest of Porbandar and 1,490 km south of Karachi, was undergoing rapid intensification.
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The cyclone named ‘Biparjoy’ as suggested by Bangladesh is likely to move nearly northwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours, said the bulletin.
According to private weather agency Skymet, the tentative track of the system will be in the northward direction. The system may even become a severe storm as the cyclone is moving in favourable waters with very warm sea surface temperatures and low wind shear.
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In fact, the cyclone is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday night. Furthermore, a day later, the system may become a very severe cyclonic storm.
As squally weather is likely to prevail over the Arabian Sea, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea along and off the coast of Kerala-Karnataka and Lakshadweep-Maldives on Wednesday.
If anyone has ventured into the sea for fishing violating the instructions issued by the State Disaster Management Authority since June 4, they should reach the nearest safe shore as soon as possible, said a statement issued by the State administration.
Though the southwest monsoon has not yet reached Kerala, the State is likely to receive fairly widespread rain for the next five days triggered by the cyclonic system. A yellow alert has been issued for Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts warning of isolated heavy rain on Wednesday.