Cyclone 'Maha' strengthens into Category 1 storm, likely to head to India's Gujarat

KARACHI: Cyclone 'Maha' has strengthened into a Category 1 storm, experts said Sunday, as thesea-storm in the Arabian Sea's central east rapidly gained momentum during the day.

Over the past 12 hours, it has been moving northwestwards and, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), was likely to turn into a Category 3 storm in the next 24-36 hours.

Further, according to the weather experts, the Category 1 Cyclone 'Maha' is 795 kilometres south of Karachi as of reporting time, sustaining winds of 120-140 kilometres per hour at its centre.

Also read: ‘Maha’ to follow 'Kyarr' as Arabian Sea's next cyclone

It is expected that Cyclone 'Maha' would continue in a west-northwest direction by tomorrow and then turn northeast towards India's Gujarat.

‘Maha’ follows Super Cyclone 'Kyarr',borne out of the track that the latter left behind in the seawater, as perthe director of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), Sardar Sarfaraz, who said low pressure had developed in the Arabian Sea as winds turned calmer after 'Kyarr'.

'Kyarr' — which was revised Category 4 last week — had subsided after wreaking havoc in Karachi's south. ‘Maha’ was named by Oman and, should there be a third cyclone this year, Pakistan has suggested it be named ‘Bulbul’.

Google, citing theIndia Meteorological Department (IMD), has issued a Cyclone Warning for Eastcentral Arabian Sea, noting that 'Maha' "moved further westwards with a speed of 09 kmph during past 06 hours [and] intensified into a Very Severe Cyclonic storm".

It further stated: "It is very likely to move west-northwestwards slowly till 04th November, re-curve east-northeastwards and move rapidly thereafter and weaken gradually from 05th November onwards."

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