India, Oct. 29 -- Rain and squally winds lashed parts of West Bengal on Thursday as the very severe cyclonic storm Arnab weakened into a depression over south Chhattisgarh and adjoining south Odisha, the IMD said.

The depression is likely to weaken into a well-marked low-pressure area by Thursday night, bringing heavy rain to parts of West Bengal till Friday, the weather office said. A fresh low-pressure area also formed over the South Andaman Sea on Thursday morning.

It is likely to intensify into a depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal as it moves west-northwestwards, the IMD said. The weather office has forecast heavy rain in South 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura and Purulia districts in south...