Cyclone Kyarr: Coastal Karnataka to receive heavy rain in next 24 hours

Cyclonic storm Kyarr, is likely to bring heavy rain in coastal Karnataka, the weather department stated. The sea condition is "likely to be very rough along and off north Karnataka coast during the next 24 hours," it added.

"The westward moving cyclonic storm is likely to hit Karnataka on Sunday causing with heavy rains and thunder showers in the coastal and south interior areas, disrupting normal life for the next two days," GS Srinivas Reddy, Director of Karnataka's natural disaster monitoring centre, told news agency IANS.

Today, the weather department stated that "extremely severe cyclonic storm" Kyarr, which lay centered about 540 km west-southwest of Mumbai, is likely to intensify into a "super cyclonic storm." it is likely to move towards the coast of Oman in next five days.

Goa and Karnataka had received a red alert as Cyclone Kyarr intensified. School and colleges in Karnataka stayed shut on Saturday.

Earlier, the Navi rescued 17 fishermen from a boat, who were caught in rough sea conditions because of Cyclone Kyarr off the west coast of Mumbai, said officials. The Navi’s INS Teg, a frigate of the Western Fleet, was returning from its deployment in the Arabian sea when it diverted to the area to rescue the fishermen.

The Indian Coast Guard has put in efforts to save stranded fishermen. "We have rescued 19 fishermen and escorted over 2,100 fishing boats to safety at various ports on the West Coast," a senior official was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

"Four Coast Guard Dorniers have been tasked with area scan and to locate stranded fishing boats. Two ICG Helo sorties have been augmented for area scan and to locate stranded fishing boats," he added.