By Kavita Mistry 
Cyclone Shakhti Live Updates: Cyclone Shakhti is intensifying over the Arabian Sea, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a heavy rain alert for parts of Maharashtra. Shakhti is the first cyclonic storm after the monsoon season in the Arabian Sea this year.
The weather department has forecast heavy to very heavy rains in the interior parts of Maharashtra, particularly in East Vidarbha and parts of Marathwada, with a possibility of flooding in the low-lying areas of North Konkan due to intense cloud formation and infiltration of moisture into the atmosphere.
The fishermen have also been advised not to venture into the above-mentioned area during this period.
The IMD said severe cyclonic storm Shakhti over northwest Arabian Sea moved west-southwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during last six hours and lay centered at over the same region near latitude 21.5°N and longitude 63.0°E, about 340 km east-southeast of Ras Al Hadd (Oman) at 8:30 pm.
The weather department stated that it is expected to weaken gradually from October 6. With the advance of the cyclonic storm, sea conditions will turn rough to very rough along and off the Gujarat-North Maharashtra coast.
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