Cyclone Kyarr intensifies to super cyclonic storm, Coast Guard on alert

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has notified that the Cyclone Kyarr, which had brought heavy rains in central and coastal Karnataka, has now intensified into a super cyclonic storm centering itself 580 km off the western side of the southwest coast of Mumbai. Cyclone Kyarr was initially labelled an extremely severe cyclonic storm but intensified after moving northwestwards at a speed of 13 kmph. The cyclone is likely headed towards the southeastern coast of Oman over the course of the next five days. It will intensify till the early hours of October 28 and then weaken. The Met department has advised fishermen not to venture into east central Arabian Sea till 29th and into west central Arabian Sea from October 28 to November 01. IMD has said that sea conditions will be phenomenal off the coast of Arabian Sea with very high waves ranging up to 46 ft starting from the evening of October 28. “It will improve gradually thereafter becoming high to very rough from the evening of 31st October,” a Met department release said. Wind speeds are likely to reach up to 290 kmph by the early hours of October 28 over east central and adjoining west central Arabian Sea. PTI reported Indian coast guard has deployed ships Samudra Prahari, Amal, Apoorva, Amartya and Rajdoot on the Karnataka-Goa coast. Dornier aircraft were also deployed to coordinate with the coast guard ships to rescue fishermen. The aircraft are making several sorties to look for stranded fishing boats. A senior Coast Guard told PTI that 19 fishermen have been rescued so far. Parts of coastal and interior Karnataka will receive heavy rainfall on October 30. Several districts of Maharashtra received rainfall in the last two days. Thunderstorms with heavy winds also hit parts of Gujarat. Source: Hindustan Times