Kyarr to intensify into extremely severe cyclonic storm

The Cyclone storm 'Kyarr' is set to intensify further into an 'Extremely Severe' Cyclonic Storm during the next 24 hours as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast update on Saturday.

Thunderstorm accompanied by lightning very likely over parts of peninsular and central India during next 48 hours as per the prediction by the weather department, which also said that several districts of Maharashtra will also receive light to moderate rainfall for the next five days.

Rain or thundershowers have also been predicted in south interior Karnataka and at a few places over Coastal Karnataka and North interior Karnataka.

"The Very Severe Cyclonic Storm 'KYARR' (Pronounced as Kyarr) over the east-central Arabian Sea moved west northwestwards with speed of 12 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered at 8.30 am of today," IMD stated.

The cyclone is centered over the east-central Arabian Sea, about 200 km nearly to the west of Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, 310 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 1,870 km east-southeast of Salalah (Oman).

The cyclone is very likely to move west northwestwards towards Oman coast during next five days.

It is very likely to intensify further into an extremely severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours.

According to weather forecasting agency, "Under the influence of the above systems, isolated places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura is likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall and heavy rainfall over southwest Peninsular India during next 24 hours decreasing thereafter."

Parts of south Gujarat and Saurashtra are also likely to receive light to moderate rains and thundershower over the next four days, IMD said on Saturday.

The met department said the sea will become 'rough to very rough' along and off the south Gujarat coast during the next 24 hours until Sunday afternoon.

The IMD advised fishermen not to venture into south Gujarat coast for the period due to the prevailing sea condition.

"Squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph is likely along and off south Gujarat coast during the next twenty four hours. Sea will be rough to very rough along and off south Gujarat coast during next 24 hours. Fishermen are advised not to venture into south Gujarat coast during the next 24 hours," the IMD bulletin said.

The met department said a few places in South Gujarat districts like Dangs, Tapi, Surat, Bharuch, Valsad and Navsari, and Amreli, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar and Junagadh in Saurashtra and Union Territory of Daman and Diu will receive 'light to moderate rain/ thundershowers', mainly due to the impact of the cyclone, till Tuesday.

Heavy rain in Parbhani, crops damaged, villages cut off

Heavy rains in several talukas of Maharashtra's Parbhani district on Friday and Saturday has damaged crops, inundated low-lying areas and cut off communication with some villages, a senior official said.

According to data released by the divisional commissioner's office, Palam, Selu and Pathari talukas in Parbhani received 67 mm, 47.60 and 27 mm rainfall respectively during a 24-hour period ending at 8.30 am on Saturday.

Parbhani is over 190 kilometres from Aurangabad and is one of the eight districts of Aurangabad Division.

"Some areas of Palam, Selu and Pathari have received heavy rains in the past couple of days. We have lost contact with 11 villages. Crops have been damaged as well. Officials are monitoring the situation and assessing losses," Collector P Shiv Shankar told.