Cyclone Maha to make landfall in Guj on Nov 6

AHMEDABAD: Severe cyclonic storm Maha is likely to make landfall along the Gujarat coast between Dwarka and Diu on the night of November 6 and bring heavy to very heavy rainfall till the next day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday.

It is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm in the next six hours before making landfall, it added.

The severe cyclonic storm Maha which was hovering over the east-central Arabian Sea has now moved towards northwestwards with a speed of 14 kmph in the past six hours.

The cyclonic storm is about 520 km south-southwest of Veraval (Gujarat) and 540 km southsouthwest of Diu, the weather department said.

“Severe cyclonic storm Maha lay centered at 580 kilometres south-west of Diu and 550 kilometers south-west of Veraval.

It is most likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between Dwarka and Diu on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning with wind speeds of 120 kilometres per hour,” said Jayanta Sarkar, regional director of the India Meteorological Department.

“The storm will cause heavy to very heavy rains in Saurashtra and south Gujarat on November 6-7. It is moving towards Oman but will recurve towards Gujarat coast on Monday,” Sarkar informed.

Officials said ports across Saurashtra have been asked to hoist danger signal number two to warn vessels and fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea.

The organisation has advised fishermen not to venture into central and northeast Arabian Sea for the next couple of days.