Andhra On Alert, Depression Over Bay of Bengal Could Intensify Into Cyclone

The Met Department on Thursday issued a warning for Andhra Pradesh that depression over the Bay of Bengal could intensify into a cyclone by Friday.

On Thursday, the IMD said the depression over southeast Bay of Bengal was moving northwestward to the coast of Andhra. “It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during next 12 hours and into a Cyclonic Storm during the subsequent 24 hours,” it said.

The IMD however has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu on Friday.

Fishermen were on Thursday advised not to venture into sea.

According to the Indian Express , if the depression intensifies into a cyclone, it will be called Phethai. 

On November 16, Cyclone Gaja had made landfall on the Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam. It had claimed 46 lives and left a trail of destruction in over ten districts, including Nagapattinam.

(With PTI inputs)