Cyclone Maha likely to bring heavy rain to south Guj

Severe cyclonic storm 'Maha' is likely to bring heavy rainfall over southern parts of Gujarat from November 6, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday.

Maha has now become a severe cyclonic storm and is centred over the east-central Arabian Sea near Lakshadweep Islands, a release from the Meteorological Centre here said.

Maha is likely to move in the north-westward direction in the next 24 hours and then west-northwestward during November 2-4 and "intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours", it stated.

"November 6 onward, it would take a re-curve in the east-northeast direction towards the south Gujarat coast. We expect it to bring heavy rainfall in the south Gujarat region, including coastal belt of Saurashtra," said Meteorological Centre Director Jayanta Sarkar.

The IMD has not made any specific prediction about the possible landfall of the cyclone.

The release said the cyclone may bring light to moderate rainfall in south Gujarat during the next 24 hours.

Several parts of Gujarat were battered by unseasonal rain in the last few days due to cyclone Kyarr, which has now weakened and moved towards Oman.