The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted heavy rains in Gujarat’s coastal districts for next two days, following remnants of cyclone Gulab turning into a depression.

The IMD said the cyclone Gulab is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea.

"Yesterday's well-marked low pressure area over south Gujarat region and adjoining Gulf of Khambhat moved west-northwestwards and emerged into the Gulf of Kutch, concentrated into a depression and lay centred there at 5.30 am today," IMD said.

"It is about 50 km east-northeast of Devbhoomi Dwarka (Gujarat), 90 km east-southeast of Naliya (in Kutch) and 340 km east-southeast of Karachi (Pakistan)," it added.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a deep depression over northeast Arabian Sea off north Gujarat coast during the next 12 hours, the weather department said.

"It is then very likely to move further west-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 24 hours. Thereafter, it is likely to continue to move west-northwestwards towards Pakistan-Makran coasts, moving away from the Indian coast," the IMD said.

Heavy rainfall is expected for the next two days in the coastal districts of Jamnagar, Porbandar, Dwarka and Kutch, it said, and asked fishermen not to venture into the sea.

Due to the present weather system, Junagadh, Amreli, Dwarka, Jamnagar and Rajkot districts received heavy rains in the last 24 hours, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.

In the 24-hour period ending at 6 am on Thursday morning,Visavadar taluka in Junagadh district recorded 292 mm,

Lilya in Amreli district received 141 mm downpour, while Khambhaliya and Kalyanpur in Devbhumi Dwarka distric got 140 mm and 135 mm rainfall, respectively, it added. (With PTI inputs)