Depression likely to form in next 48 hours, TN unlikely to feel impact

Chennai, Dec 5: A well-marked low pressure area persisting over the South East Bay of Bengal was expected to turn into a depression and intensify into a deep depression over the next 48 hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre said.

"The system is expected to concentrate into a depression during the next 12 hours and further intensify into a deep depression in the subsequent 48 hours," the Director of the Area Cyclone Warning Centre, S Balachandran, said. The depression was expected to move in the north-western direction, towards north Tamil Nadu and the south Andhra coast, he told reporters here.

The fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea for the next four days, till December 8, Balachandran said, adding that those already in the sea were requested to return to the shore. Light rains were expected at one or two places in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry over the next two days, he said.

To a query, Balachandran said the new system would gain strength and turn into a depression with the weakening of Cyclone Ockhi, which was already on. "As per the present conditions, the depression is not likely to have much of an impact in Tamil Nadu," he said, while responding to another question.

In Andhra Pradesh too, it was expected to weaken as it moved, Balachandran said, adding that however, the system was being monitored and there might be changes as well.

PTI