Mumbai, May 14 (IANS): With a low pressure area rapidly developing over the Lakshadweep Isles and the Arabian Sea, a powerful cyclonic storm is expected to manifest by Sunday and likely to hit the coasts of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Kerala in the next four days, the IMD said on Friday.

The IMD has already put Mumbai and Thane under a Yellow Alert, signifying isolated heavy rains accompanies by strong winds, while an Orange Alert and Red Alert has been issued for several districts of Gujarat and Kerala.

Cyclone Tauktae, currently developing over Lakshadweep Isles and the Arabian Sea, will intensify into a full-fledged cyclonic storm on Sunday, causing heavy rains, accompanied by gusty winds, in southern and western coastal parts of the country.

"It is very likely to intensify into a deep depression during the next 12 hours and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours. It is very likely to intensify further. It is very likely to move initially north-northeastwards till today evening. It would then move north-northwestwards and reach near Gujarat coast by May 18 morning," the IMD said in its latest bulletin this afternoon.

The storm will bring with it moderate rainfall in large areas in Lakshadweep Isles, with heavy to very heavy spells in some place with extremely heavy rains in isolated places from Friday till Sunday.