Very severe cyclonic storm 'Gati' moves westwards: IMD

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday said the "very severe" cyclonic storm "GATI" over the southwest Arabian Sea has moved westwards.

"Very severe cyclonic storm 'GATI' over the southwest Arabian Sea moved westwards and lay centered over the southwest Arabian Sea near Latitude 10.4° N and Longitude 51.5°E, about 40 km east of Somalia coast & 90 km south-southeast of Ras Binnah (Somalia) at 1730 hrs IST today," IMD tweeted.

"The well-marked low-pressure area over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal persists. It is very likely to concentrate into a depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal during next 12 hours and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours," IMD added.

IMD had earlier in the day stated, the cyclonic storm is very likely to move west-southwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours.

The weather agency predicted the likelihood of rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Kerala from November 23 due to the intensified depression over the southwest Arabian Sea.

"Under its influence, the rainfall activity is likely to increase over extreme south peninsular India from November 23 with fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm activity over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Kariakal, Kerala and Mahe from November 24-26, and over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema from November 25-27," IMD had stated.

"Extremely heavy rainfall activity very likely over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from November 24-26 and over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh on November 26," it added.

( With inputs from ANI )