COLOMBO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center, on Friday afternoon issued a severe weather alert as the cyclonic storm 'Bulbul' located in the Bay of Bengal sea area had developed into a severe cyclonic storm.
The Disaster Management Center, in a statement said that strong winds and heavy rains were expected in several parts of the island within the next few days as the cyclonic storm was expected to move north westwards towards west Bengal in the Bangladesh coast by the weekend.
"Naval and fishing communities are advised not to venture into above sea areas and requested to be vigilant till Nov. 11," the Disaster Management Center said.
The Meteorology Department said that rains were expected in the Western province and in the Galle and Matara districts in the south and Puttalam district, in north western Sri Lanka.
