A tropical storm is brewing in the Arabian Sea, moving towards the coast of Oman, and Kerala will see heavy rains, the Indian Meteorological Department said on Thursday. Heavy rain has been predicted in Kerala between October 4 and 8. Parts of coastal Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra too may be affected.
“It is still a low pressure area, not a cyclone as of now. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression and move north-west towards the coast of Oman in the next 36 hours. Right now we will only experience high rainfall,” an official from the IMD said.
If it does intensify into a cyclone, it will be named ‘Luban’, Skymet said.
A red alert warning has been issued to three districts in Kerala for October 7th. According to the Indian Meteorological Department, Thrissur, Palakkad and Idukki are likely to see very heavy rains and strong winds on October 7 and therefore red alerts have been issued in these districts.
By October 5th, heavy rains are expected across the state of Kerala. In most districts in Kerala, a yellow alert has also been issued from October 5th to 7th. Some districts and isolated areas are likely to see heavy rains on October 4. Orange alert has been issues in Idukki from 4th to 6th, Thrissur and Palakkad on the 6th and Pathanamthitta on the 7th.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said that fishermen have been advised not to venture into southeast and central Arabian Sea from October 4 onwards. Fishermen at deep sea areas of southeast and central Arabian Sea have been advised to return to the coast before October 5.
The CM also advised against travelling to hilly areas between the mentioned dates, and particularly against travelling Munnar where the famed neelakurunji has bloomed.
Kerala, in August, was ravaged by heavy rains and floods, forcing lakhs of people to move to the thousands of relief camps across the state. Life was thrown out of gear and the economy suffered a major blow.