Cyclone alerts over Mumbai, Gujarat and Goa

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) Wednesday has issued an orange alert – the second highest alert after red alert – on its website for heavy rains and storm over the coastal region of western India covering North Maharastra, South Gujarat and Goa.

According to Met department of India, the cyclone now named Phyan over the Arabian Sea on November 10 was 'likely to intensify further' and cross the Indian coast between north Maharashtra and south Gujarat in the early hours of Thursday.

"The cyclonic storm, PHYAN over east-central Arabian Sea moved northwards and lay centered at 0530 morning on November 11, 2009 over same area near Lat. 16.00N and Long. 71.50E, about 250 km west-northwest of Goa, 350 km south-southwest of Mumbai and 620 km south-southwest of Surat," stated IMD on its website.

'The system is likely to intensify further and move north-northeastwards and cross south Gujarat and north Maharashtra coast between Alibagh and Valsad by November 11, 2009 late evening/night,' added IMD.

This cyclone can lead heavy to very heavy rain over or equal to 25 cm over Konkan and Goa and Madhya Maharashtra during next 36 hours through which these regions can be isolated, warned IMD.

The cyclone is expected to reach the coastal area around 3.00 to 4.00 pm today (Nov 11) with the speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph during next 36 hours. Sea condition will be very rough over along and off Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra coasts. Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 gusting to 75 kmph is likely to commence along and off south Gujarat coast from today afternoon, IMD said.

The fishermen are advised to stay off from sea and authorities have asked to the public to not to visit the sea in the next 36 hrs.