A severe cyclonic storm named Shakti has formed over the Arabian Sea, causing turbulent sea conditions and high winds. Weather agencies have confirmed that it will not hit the Maharashtra or Gujarat coasts.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says the storm is likely to head west and southwest by Sunday, 5th October. Then, from Monday morning, it is expected to change direction and return to the east, north-east. During this period, it will gradually weaken.
It is the first cyclone post-Monsoon to develop over the Arabian Sea in 2025 and has already developed into a severe one, with winds up to 100 km/hr. Sri Lanka proposed the name Shakti, which was approved by the World Meteorological Organization’s regional committee.
Cyclone shakti gains strength over Arabian sea
Cyclone Shakti is the first cyclone to rise in the Arabian Sea after the monsoon. It has taken a terrible form, stirring up the sea with wind speeds of 100 km per hour. Currently, the cyclone is 420 kilometers away from Dwarka in Gujarat and keeps moving deeper into the Arabian Sea.
IMD has issued high alerts for Gujarat and North Maharashtra, advising fishermen to stay away from the sea. Heavy rain warnings have also been issued for a number of coastal regions in both states. The cyclone is expected to have a major impact on sea conditions, with rough seas on the west coast during the next few days.
Cyclone path and current status
As per IMD’s latest forecast, Cyclone Shakti is likely to continue moving west and southwest till Sunday, reaching the northwestern and adjoining west-central parts of the Arabian Sea.
Then, from Monday morning, it is expected to change direction and return to the east, north-east. During this time, it will gradually weaken.
The cyclone has already moved towards Oman, so the possibility of affecting India’s western coast severely has gone down. There will be high-speed winds, heavy rain, and rough sea waves, however, which are likely to continue till 7th October along the Maharashtra and Gujarat coast.
The IMD stated the storm will retain wind speeds of 60–100 km per hour until Monday (6th October). On Tuesday (7th October), wind speeds are expected to come down to around 45–65 km per hour, marking the weakening phase of the cyclone.
High alert in Maharashtra and Gujarat coastal areas
Although Shakti might not hit the coast, its influence is strongly being experienced in the coastal regions of Maharashtra and Gujarat. Heavy rains have been forecast by the IMD in parts of these states, particularly in the coastal districts.
The Maharashtra government has issued an impact warning for Cyclone Shakhti (Oct 3–7), with high to moderate severity. Coastal districts face squally winds (45–65 kmph), rough seas, and heavy rain in Vidarbha, Marathwada, and Konkan. Authorities urged evacuation, disaster… pic.twitter.com/LMdvLgpdYg
— IANS (@ians_india) October 3, 2025
By Monday (6th October) high tides, strong winds, and rough seas are expected to continue along the Konkan coast. Fishermen have been strictly warned not to go into the sea till at least Tuesday (7th October).
Releasing a five-day forecast, the IMD has said that Mumbai will continue to receive rainfall till 8th October. Rainfall is also likely to occur at isolated places over Thane and Raigad districts. However, heavy rain is expected in Palghar district on 8th October.
Maharashtra on alert: Disaster response teams deployed
High alerts for parts of Maharashtra, covering Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg, with strong winds forecast till 7th October.
The Maharashtra government has made preparations to deal with Cyclone Shakti. The Maharashtra government has directed district administrations to activate disaster management systems, prepare evacuation plans, issue advisories against sea travel, and ensure safety measures during heavy rains.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea as wind speeds of 45-55 kmph, gusting up to 65 kmph, are likely along the north Maharashtra coast until Sunday, 5th October.
Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are deployed at sensitive zones. North Konkan, encompassing Mumbai and surrounding districts, is likely to experience waterlogging and flooding.
Gujarat strengthens coastal preparedness
In Gujarat, officials are also on high alert. The IMD has issued an advisory to fishermen, urging them not to venture into the sea. Collectors of Saurashtra’s coastal districts, who were attending a conference in Gandhinagar, have been instructed to return to their respective districts immediately.
According to the media reports, Abhimanyu Chauhan of IMD Ahmedabad said, “Cyclone Shakthi will recurve on 6th October morning moving towards East-Northeast direction. However, there is no need to panic as the impact over Gujarat will be minimal. On 8th October, there will be heavy rainfall in some parts of Gujarat – Dwarka, Jamnagar, Porbandar, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra Nagar Haveli.”
The weekend leaves of district and taluka-level officials in coastal districts have been cancelled, and control rooms have been opened. The government requested the local authorities to keep a close watch on the situation, particularly in Dwarka, Porbandar, Jamnagar, and Kutch districts.
Despite the weakening trend, parts of Gujarat, such as Dwarka, Jamnagar, Surat, Navsari, Valsad, Daman, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli may see heavy rainfall around 8th October, as per the IMD projections.
Cyclone expected to weaken by Monday
By Saturday evening, Cyclone Shakti was moving at a speed of about 15 km per hour towards the west and southwest over the northwest Arabian Sea. Around 8:30 p.m., it became nearly stationary for a short period.
IMD forecasts suggest that the cyclone will continue to move west and southwest till Sunday, 5th October, reaching the northwest and adjoining west-central Arabian Sea. The IMD said Cyclone Shakti will then move east and northeast and gradually weaken.
At present, the cyclone lies around 420 to 480 kilometers from Dwarka and Porbandar. IMD has warned of strong winds reaching 100–110 km per hour on Sunday, with heavy rainfall expected in Saurashtra and Kutch. Fishermen have been advised to stay away from the sea until at least Monday (6th October).
How the cyclone got its name
The name Shakti was suggested by Sri Lanka. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the combined panel of Asian countries (ESCAP panels) together decide the names of cyclones.
For this, 13 countries around the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea had suggested names. These 13 countries are India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Maldives, Thailand, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
This naming system was introduced to make it easier for the public and meteorological agencies to identify and remember storms, as earlier technical naming conventions were confusing.
