Hikaa 20190923
Hikaa Image Credit: Twitter/Nasa

New Delhi: Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday informed that Cyclonic Storm 'Hikaa' will reach Oman coast by the early morning of September 25.

"Deep Depression over Arabian sea intensified into a Cyclonic Storm 'Hikaa' at 0530 IST of September 23 near latitude 20.5°N and longitude 66.2°E, 760 km east-southeast of Masirah (Oman). It will reach Oman coast by 25th September early morning," tweeted.

Earlier in a press release, the weather forecasting agency had predicted 'Light to Moderate rainfall in many places' and 'Heavy Rainfall in isolated places' in coastal districts of Saurashtra and Kutch due to the possible formation of a deep depression over east-central and north-east Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast.

The fishermen are advised not to venture into the east-central and adjoining north-east Arabian sea and off the Gujarat coast during next 24 hours and into west-central and adjoining north-west Arabian Sea during the evening of September 23 and on September 25.

'Hikaa' to cause strong winds along India’s Gujarat coast

Ahmedabad: A deep depression over the Arabian Sea has intensified into cyclonic storm 'Hikaa' that will cause strong winds along the Gujarat coast, IMD said.

The weather department has advised fishermen not to venture into the sea in view of the rough weather.

"Though Hikaa is unlikely to come towards Gujarat, it will cause strong winds along the state coast," the IMD said in a bulletin.

The deep depression that formed over northeast and adjoining east-central Arabian Sea on Sunday morning intensified into the cyclonic storm Hikaa after moving nearly westwards.

At 11.30 am on Monday, it was lying about 490 km west-southwest of Veraval in Gujarat, 520 km south-southwest of Karachi in Pakistan, and 710 km east-southeast of Masirah in Oman, the IMD said.

"It is very likely to move nearly westwards and cross the Oman coast between latitude 19N and 20N during early hours of Wednesday as a deep depression. It is likely to intensify further during next 24 hours and weaken gradually thereafter," it said.

The cyclone will cause strong winds with speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph along and off the Gujarat coast during next 12 hours which will decrease thereafter, it said.

As the sea will remain "rough to very rough," the fishermen are advised not to venture into the waters till Wednesday, it added.