The India Meteorological Department (IMD) early Monday warned that Cyclone Fani is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the next few hours. The storm will further intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours.

The IMD said the storm is very likely to move northwestwards till May 1 evening and thereafter recurve north-northwestwards gradually.

In a bulletin issued at 2 am, the IMD said the cyclonic storm "moved north-northwestwards with a speed of about 04 kmph in last six hours and lay centred at 2330 hrs IST of 28 th April, 2019 over southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood, about 620 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 890 km southeast of Chennai (Tamil Nadu) and 1060 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam (Andhra Pradesh)."

In view of the storm, the Met Department has issued a heavy rainfall warning for several areas in southern states.

While light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur over many places with heavy falls at isolated places in Kerala on April 29 and 30. North coastal Tamil Nadu and south coastal Andhra Pradesh are also expected to receive light to moderate rainfall at few places.

"Light to moderate rainfall at few places very likely over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha on May 2. It is likely to increase in intensity with heavy rainfall over coastal Odisha from May 3," the forecast said.

The IMD warned that gale wind speed reaching 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph is currently prevailing over Southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood. It is very likely to increase gradually to 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph from April 30 morning and 160-170 kmph gusting to 185 kmph from May 01 evening. It could increase to 150-160 kmph gusting to 175 kmph on May 03.

The sea condition is expected to be rough to very rough over the next few days along the coasts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and the fishermen have been advised not to venture into deep sea areas.