Cyclonic Storm (SCS) “Shakhti,” the first post-monsoon cyclonic storm of the Arabian Sea this year, is intensifying and moving towards the northwest Arabian Sea, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday.
At 8.30 pm (Indian Standard Time) on Saturday, Cyclone Shakhti was centred near latitude 21.5 degrees North and longitude 63.0 degrees East, about 340 km east-southeast of Ras Al Hadd in Oman. The storm has been moving west-southwest at a speed of 15 kilometre per hour (kmph). It is expected to reach the northwest and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea by Sunday, before recurving and moving east-northeast from the morning of October 6, gradually weakening as it progresses, the weather bureau said.
The cyclonic storm has been closely monitored due to its rapid intensification and potential impact on coastal regions. Maharashtra, in particular, has been placed on alert. Earlier in the day, IMD has issued a yellow alert for several districts, including Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri, and Sindhudurg. Authorities warned of strong winds reaching 45–55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph, and heavy cloud cover.
The weather office emphasised that Shakhti is likely to prevail over the North Maharashtra coast until Sunday. Residents in coastal areas have been advised to remain alert, while authorities have cautioned about potential flooding in low-lying regions of North Konkan due to intense rainfall and cloud formation.
Earlier, the cyclonic storm was moving towards Dwarka off the Gujarat coast and was expected to intensify further. On Friday, at 8.30 pm, the system was located nearly 300 km west of Dwarka, 330 km south-southwest of Karachi, Pakistan, and 360 km west of Porbandar.
Shakhti, named by Sri Lanka under conventions of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)/United Nations` Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Panel on Tropical Cyclones, is expected to move initially westwards before turning west-southwestwards and intensifying further into a severe cyclonic storm by Saturday morning.
IMD has urged fishermen not to venture into the northwest, northeast, or central Arabian Sea, and along the Gujarat and north Maharashtra coasts until conditions improve. Residents of low-lying areas are advised to take precautionary measures and avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rainfall and strong winds.
