Cyclone Senyar: IMD Confirms Formation Of Cyclonic Storm; Heavy Rainfall To Continue In Tamil Nadu, Kerala

The depression over the Strait of Malacca, which intensified into a deep depression on Tuesday night, has intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Senyar', the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Wednesday.

In a post on X at 9:13 a.m. on Wednesday, the weather agency said the weather system moved west at about 10 kmph during the past six hours.

Cyclone Senyar lay centered over Strait of Malacca and adjoining Northeast Indonesia near latitude 5.0°N and longitude 98.0°E, about 100 km east of Kuta Makmur (Indonesia), 260 km west-southwest of George Town (Malaysia), 600 km east-southeast of Nancowry (Nicobar Islands) and 740 km southeast of Car Nicobar (Nicobar Islands) as of 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

"It is very likely to maintain the intensity of cyclonic storm for next 24 hours and then weaken gradually," the IMD said.

Cyclone Senyar is likely to move nearly westwards and cross Indonesia coast around forenoon of November 26. Thereafter, it will move west-southwestwards initially then recurve eastwards during subsequent 48 hours.

The storm has been named Senyar, meaning lion, a name submitted by the United Arab Emirates. It comes from the pre-approved tropical cyclone list maintained by the World Meteorological Assocation and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) member countries under the Panel on Tropical Cyclones’ regional naming system.

The weather agency also warned that the well marked low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Southeast Sri Lanka and Equatorial Indian Ocean is likely to move nearly north-northwestwards and intensify into a depression during subsequent 24 hours.

With the two active weather systems, one of which is has turned into a cyclonic storm, southern states remain on alert. Tamil Nadu, Kerala, coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are already witnessing intense rainfall. The IMD warned that similar weather conditions will prevail in these states during the week.

Tamil Nadu will continue receiving heavy rainfall till Nov. 30 and coastal Andhra Pradesh will get rainfall from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1. Similar weather conditions are also expected in Kerala and the Mahe region on Nov. 26.

The IMD has warned about very heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu from Nov. 28 to 30 and in coastal Andhra Pradesh on Nov. 30. Andaman and Nicobar Islands will receive very heavy rainfall on Nov. 26 and 27. The weather agency has issued an orange alert for some districts of Tamil Nadu between Nov. 28 and 30.

Thunderstorms and lightning will also continue during this period. Additionally, high-speed winds reaching up to 60 kmph are expected in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands till Nov. 28.