PANJIM: Cyclone Mandous, which made landfall over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Wednesday night and now moved west-northwestwards, is likely to bring rainfall to Goa from December 9-14. However, there is no heavy rainfall warning for the coastal State.
Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Goa observatory has said that moisture incursion in the atmosphere over Goa is likely due to the cyclonic system and its remnant in the coming days.
“Light to moderate rainfall with isolated to scattered spatial distribution is very likely over North and South Goa from December 9-14,” IMD said. The fishermen are advised against venturing into the sea during the period.
IMD said that the rainfall is likely to have an impact on the crops in the region. It said that in case of rabi crops, sowing operations may be affected and in those cases where sowing is done, sown seeds may washed out, if rainfall intensity is more.
The flowering of mangoes and cashew plantation will be affected while pest and disease may increase for coconut and areca nut.
The cyclonic system has moved west-northwestwards and is likely to cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph around night hours of December 9.
IMD has issued red alert for three districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Kanchipuram, and Puducherry due to the heavy rain forecast on Friday. A total of nine districts have been issued orange alerts.