High alert in Mumbai as freak rains expected to lash region

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There is a high alert in Mumbai with the India Meteorological Department, forecasting heavy rains in the city which are also expected to lash northern Gujarat and north and north-west Maharashtra today.</p>
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A yellow alert has been issued for Mumbai, Palghar and Thane as unseasonal rains are expected to continue, officials said. Life could be disrupted in the city as local railway services get hit.</p>
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A cyclonic storm is also likely to hit Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coasts on Saturday morning,</p>
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A low-pressure area over the Andaman Sea may develop in the next 12 hours and intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal around Friday, the IMD has forecast.</p>
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A low-pressure area is likely to form over east central Arabian sea off Maharashtra coast during the next 24 hours.</p>
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The cyclonic storm that may hit Andhra Pradesh coast and Odisha is likely to move west-northwest and concentrate into a depression over southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal by Thursday, the IMD bulletin states..</p>
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The IMD forecast "heavy to very heavy rainfall and extremely heavy falls" at isolated places over coastal Odisha and "heavy to very heavy" rainfall at isolated places over adjoining interior districts of Odisha, coastal districts of West Bengal and north coastal Andhra Pradesh.</p>