The cyclonic storm Kyarr over the east-central Arabian Sea is likely to become severe by Friday evening and very severe by early Saturday, the India Meteorological Department said. The storm is likely to lead to light to moderate rainfall at most places, and heavy to very heavy rain at some places, in coastal Karnataka, Goa and Konkan.

The wind speed is expected to increase gradually to 90 to 100 km per hour, gusting to 110 km per hour, by Friday evening, and 170 to 180 km per hour, gusting to 200 km per hour, by Sunday morning, the weather department said. The cyclone will become “extremely severe” by Sunday morning and will remain in that category till early Tuesday, the forecast said.

The IMD predicted squally wind speeds up to 55 to 65 km per hour in Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad districts of Maharashtra and Goa. Fishermen were advised not to venture into the sea off the Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka coasts.

On Friday morning, the storm lay centred about 370 km south-southwest of Mumbai, and was moving north-northeastwards.

All schools, anganwadis and pre-university colleges were closed in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka on Friday.

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