Cyclone Shakhti to weaken before returning to coast: IMD

The severe cyclonic storm Shakhti, currently over northeast Arabian Sea, is likely to move west-southwestwards and reach northwest and adjoining west central Arabian Sea by Sunday.

- Jayashree Nandi

Thereafter, it will recurve and move east-north-eastwards, towards the Indian coast, from morning of October Monday and weaken gradually, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said.

Shakhti had formed from a remnant of low pressure area over Bay of Bengal near the North Andhra Pradesh coast on September 26. “Thereafter, it intensified in to a depression, crossed the entire country. Moved up to Gujarat as a low pressure area and emerged into northeast Arabian Sea and intensified into a depression and further intoa cyclone and severe cyclone,” said M Mohapatra, director general, IMD.