Ockhi Centered Over Lakshadweep and Southeastern Arabian Sea

KAVARATTI:
The very severe Cyclonic Storm Ockhi centered over Lakshadweep area and adjoining Southeast Arabian sea has moved west northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the last 6 hours.
As of 0530 hours IST today, the system is centered over Lakshadweep area and adjoining Southeast Arabian Sea near Latitude 9.2°N and Longitude 72.8°E, about 100 km north northwest of Minicoy and 210 km south of Amini Divi.
This system is most expected to strengthen further during the next 24 hours and continue its track in west northwestwards across Lakshadweep Islands during the next 24 hours and then recurve northeastwards during the subsequent 48 hours. In wake of this, heavy to very heavy rains are possible over isolated places of Lakshadweep. Isolated areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala will also witness heavy rain activity.
Wind speed is likely to be 120 kmph over and around Lakshadweep Islands. Sea conditions will be rough around the region. So, fishermen are advised not to venture into sea along and off the coasts of Kerala and Karnataka and around Lakshadweep Islands.
In fact, with more sea travel left, the system is very likely to get more marked during next 24 to 48 hours. “It will continue to move in warm sea surface temperatures of around 30°C and vertical wind shear is also low. It would continue to travel in northwest direction for next 48 hours. Thereafter, it is expected to re-curve towards north-northeast and would start weakening rapidly due to low sea surface temperatures,” Mahesh Palawat, Vice President- Meteorology, Skymet Weather.
In wake of this, Lakshadweep Islands have been put on high alert. Weathermen are predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall, with isolated extremely heavy falls over Lakshadweep area during next 24 hours. Thereafter in subsequent 24 hours, as the system moves away, rains may reduce a bit but isolated heavy to very heavy rains cannot be ruled out.