Chennai, Nov 25 (IANS): With a heavy rain forecast from Wednesday onwards in many districts of Tamil Nadu, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) was expected to issue a red alert for the Delta districts on Thursday and Friday (November 28 and 29).

The weather department has already issued an orange alert for Chennai, Karaikal, and Puducherry on Monday.

The state was bracing for heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next few days.

The RMC, in a statement on Monday, said that a depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal was expected to intensify into a deep depression. It is anticipated to strengthen further as it moves northwestward.

The Delta districts of Tamil Nadu were likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall during this period.

The RMC has also issued an advisory for fishermen, urging them to refrain from deep-sea fishing between November 25 and 28 due to the depression over the central parts of the southern Bay of Bengal.

A new low-pressure area, which formed over the East Equatorial Indian Ocean and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal on Saturday morning, was expected to bring heavy rain to the Delta region, Chennai, surrounding districts, and the southern parts of Tamil Nadu.

According to the weather department, the system developed under the influence of upper-air circulation prevailing in the area since Friday. It is expected to move west-northwestward and intensify into a depression over the central parts of the South Bay of Bengal around November 25.

As it moves closer to the Tamil Nadu-Sri Lanka coast, heavy rain is forecast for Chennai on November 27 and 28.

The RMC has issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall (11.5 cm to 20.4 cm) in isolated places across the Delta districts and Chennai's surrounding regions from November 25 to 28.

An orange alert has been issued for Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Karaikal, and Pudukkottai on Monday (November 25) and the next day. Additionally, a yellow alert has been issued on Monday (November 25) for Cuddalore, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, and Kanniyakumari. districts.

A yellow alert has been issued for Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Ramanathapuram districts on Tuesday (November 26).