Red alert in Tamil Nadu as Cyclone Fani moves closer, likely to hit by April 30

Chennai, Apr 25: Tamil Nadu coast, including Chennai, is expected to receive heavy rains for the next few days following formation of a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal which could transform into Cyclone Fani by next week, IMD and weather experts said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, a red alert has been declared in Tamil Nadu for April 30 and May 1 as a major cyclone, Fani moves closer and is likely to hit north coast of the state over the two days.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday said that after gaining more strength, the cyclonic circulation has finally induced a low-pressure area. The system is formed over Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal. It also predicted that it will continue to move west-northwest and gaining latitude.

''A trough of low at mean sea level lies over the Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal with a cyclonic circulation aloft extending up to 3.1 km above mean sea level," IMD stated in its advisory.

"It is very likely to intensify into a depression during nexr 24 hours over East Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining central parts of south Bay of Bengal and into a Cyclonic Storm during subsequent 24 hours over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Equatorial Indian Ocean. It is very likely to move northwestwards along and off east coast of Sri Lanka near north Tamil Nadu coast on April 30, 2019," IMD said.

Meanwhile, Weather tracking website, www.skymetweather.com, reported that it is expected that the system would strengthen into a tropical storm by the evening of April 27 or early morning of April 28.