India, Nov. 27 -- A deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka coast is expected to intensify into a cyclone on Thursday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned.

The deep depression moved northwestwards with a speed of 17kmph during the past 6 hours, and lay centered about 120km south-southeast of Batticaloa (Sri Lanka), 130km east-northeast of Hambantota (Sri Lanka), 640km south-southeast of Puducherry (India) and 730km south-southeast of Chennai (India).

"It is very likely to continue to move nearly north-northwestwards across southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Sri Lanka and intensify further into a cyclonic storm during the next 3 hours. Thereafter, it is very likely to continue to move nort...