Cyclone near Africa to bring rain in Gujarat, fishermen warned

Parts of Gujarat will receive unseasonal rain on Saturday due to the cyclonic storm 'Pawan' over the south-west Arabian Sea near the African coast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.

The IMD, therefore, advised fishermen in the state to refrain from venturing into the area for the next two days.

The weather department also advised the authorities to hoist 'Distant Warning' signal number 2 (DW-II) at all the ports in north and south Gujarat to warn the boat owners of rough sea condition.

"Light rain would occur at isolated places in some districts of Saurashtra and Kutch on Saturday," a release issued by the IMD said.

Rainfall had also occurred at some places in Gujarat in the last 24 hours (ending at 8.30 am on Friday), it added.

According to the release, the cyclonic storm 'Pawan' is very likely to move west-southwestwards over the next 24 hours and cross Somalia coast as a depression.

The IMD also warned of bad weather in the coming days because of a 'depression' over east-central Arabian Sea, which is "very likely to move west-northwestwards and weaken into a well-marked low pressure area during the next 3 hours".

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into southwest Arabian Sea and along the Somalia coast during next two days, it said.