Bhubaneswar, Oct. 25 -- The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday predicted that the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify rapidly into a severe cyclonic storm over the west-central Bay by October 28 morning, with wind speeds reaching 90-100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph.

According to the IMD's bulletin, the system, currently centered near latitude 10.8degN and longitude 89.0degE, about 420 km west-southwest of Port Blair, is moving west-northwestwards and will likely strengthen into a deep depression by October 26 and a cyclonic storm by October 27 morning.

The storm is projected to move toward the Andhra Pradesh coast during the next 48 hours, bringing heavy to extremely heavy rainfall to part...