Heavy rains are likely to lash coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh and north Tamil Nadu during the next two days as cyclone ‘Laila’ which further intensified and lay centred in the Bay of Bengal around 400 km east of Chennai, is expected to cross the Andhra coast on Thursday.

“Latest satellite images and radar observation indicates that cyclonic storm ‘Laila’ lies centred at about 400 km east of Chennai. This system is likely to intensify further and move in a west north-westerly direction and cross the Andhra coast between Ongole and Vishakapatnam in the early hours of Thursday,” Met officials here told media.

They said scattered heavy and isolated very heavy rains would occur over coastal Andhra Pradesh and isolated heavy rain may also occur over North Coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry from tonight.

According to them, strong wind with speeds reaching 65-75 kmph was likely to commence along Andhra Coast from tonight. Squally weather with wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph may begin along north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast from tonight.

Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea as strong surface winds from South-westerly to Westerly direction with speeds reaching 45-55 kmph were likely off the Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast.