Cyclone Maha is likely to intensify into a Severe Cyclonic Storm over the Lakshadweep Islands by Thursday evening and into a Very Severe Cyclonic Storm by Friday, the India Meteorological Department said in a Thursday afternoon weather update.
A red alert for extremely heavy rainfall has been declared for Lakshadweep for Thursday.
On Thursday morning, Maha lay 40 km north-northeast of Aminidivi, 110 km off Kavaratti and 325 km west-northwest of Kozhikode. The cyclone is expected to strike a north-northwestward path across Lakshadweep Islands during the next 12 hours.
As Maha intensifies into a severe cyclonic storm, wind speeds are expected to be in the range of 100-110 kmph and gusting to 135 kmph by Wednesday night, IMD said.
With weather conditions deteriorating, fishing operations have been suspended along Kerala-Karnataka coasts and the Lakshadweep region. They have also been asked to keep away from the Kanyakumari region today as squally weather with lightning and thunderstorm is expected.
Many parts of Kerala received rainfall. IMD has issued orange alerts for isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (upto 20.4 cms) Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Malappuram and Kozhikode for today (Thursday).
