Cyclone \'Mandous\' edges closer to AP coast

Visakhapatnam: The deep depression over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west north-westward with a speed of 16 kmph and lay centred over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by Wednesday evening.

Its position was about 470 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), about 610 km east-southeast of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 670 km east-southeast of Karaikal and 750 km east southeast of Chennai.

Very likely, it would move west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm (Mandous) and reach the southwest Bay of Bengal off the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast by Thursday morning.

It will continue to move west-north west towards north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the subsequent 48 hours, the weather office said.

Under its influence, light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at isolated places, very likely falls over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal and isolated heavy rainfall over adjoining areas of south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema from Thursday.

Light to moderate rainfall is likely at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh. There would be isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining Rayalaseema on December 9.

Squally wind, its speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph during December 8 and 9 morning, is predicted. It would reduce its intensity thereafter. The sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough over southeast Bay of Bengal till December 10 morning.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal and southwest Bay of Bengal till December 10.