A weather system over the southeast Bay of Bengal is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Monday evening, with the forecast indicating a possible crossing of the north Tamil Nadu coast.

Storm warning signal Number 1 has been hoisted at nine ports as a precaution. The low-pressure area has strengthened into a well-marked low-pressure area, and is expected to move northwestwards, concentrating into a depression over the same region on Sunday, as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

It is subsequently likely to move north-northwestwards and strengthen further. By Monday evening, the system is expected to develop into a cyclonic storm over the central parts of the south Bay of Bengal and the adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal.

The forecast points to the storm moving towards the north Tamil Nadu coast. However, the information provided does not specify the precise location or timing of a possible landfall, or the wind speeds expected when the system approaches the coast.

Fishermen have been advised against venturing into the deep sea in view of the developing weather system. They have also been instructed to anchor their boats securely along the shore as a precaution against potentially adverse conditions.

The advisory places particular emphasis on keeping fishing vessels safe while the system strengthens over the Bay of Bengal. Its projected intensification over the next two days has prompted warnings for fishing activity and precautionary signals at ports.

The ports named in the warning include Chennai, Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Rameswaram and Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, besides Puducherry and Karaikal. Although the report states that signals have been raised at nine ports, it identifies only these seven locations.

The warning comes as the system progresses through successive stages of development, from a low-pressure area to a well-marked low-pressure area, with further strengthening into a depression and then a cyclonic storm anticipated.

The immediate concern is the safety of fishermen and their boats ahead of the expected intensification. The advice to avoid the deep sea and secure vessels remains the principal precaution outlined in the report.

At least two people were burned to death and two others critically injured in an explosion at a gunpowder manufacturing unit in Rajasthan Nagaur district on Thursday morning.

The blast occurred at around 9:40 a.m. in the Badli area, triggering fears that more workers could still be trapped inside the premises. The explosion was so powerful that its sound was heard nearly half a kilometre away, triggering panic among local residents.

Police and fire brigade teams rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations. According to preliminary information, the warehouse belongs to a person identified as Amin.

The exact cause of the explosion has not yet been ascertained. More details and the official version are awaited.

Two young men died on the spot, while two others were found critically injured during the rescue operation. Their identities have not yet been established.

A stock of finished firecrackers was also found in one section of the warehouse where the explosion occurred. Local residents said gunpowder is manufactured at the facility by mixing potassium nitrate.

Soon after receiving information about the incident, fire brigade teams and Kotwali police rushed to the spot. Firefighters immediately launched efforts to bring the blaze under control, while police personnel took charge of relief and rescue operations.

According to preliminary information, a fire broke out among firecrackers and quickly intensified, eventually triggering a massive explosion. More casualties and extensive property damage are feared in the incident.

Meanwhile, official confirmation regarding the exact cause of the explosions, the identities of those feared dead, and the extent of the damage is still awaited.

Locals said that the owner has a valid permanent licence for firecracker-related activities. However, there is no official information yet about the authorised storage capacity under the licence or the exact quantity of firecrackers and potassium nitrate stored at the premises.

Rescue teams are trying to establish how many workers were present inside the warehouse when the explosion occurred. Authorities have not ruled out the possibility of more casualties as search and rescue operations continue.

Delhi Home and Urban Development Minister, Ashish Sood, has ordered a magisterial enquiry into a building collapse in New Seemapuri that claimed four lives earlier this month, an official said on Friday.

The enquiry will be led by the District Magistrate (North-East), said the official in a statement, adding that it will also check for lapses on the part of government agencies and officials and fix responsibility.

Sood said, “This is a deeply tragic incident that has cost precious lives. We have ordered a magisterial enquiry to investigate every single aspect of this collapse. No guilty person or lax official will be spared.”

“Our immediate priority is to support the affected families, and our long-term goal is to enforce strict structural safety rules so that such an accident never happens again in Delhi,” he said.

A five-storey residential building (House No. E-402, built on a small plot of 20-25 square yards) collapsed on October 7 around 3 p.m. in New Seemapuri, Delhi.

Three adjacent structures suffered major damage, were declared unsafe by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), and were evacuated.

Initial local enquiries indicate that demolition work using heavy, vibration-causing machinery on an adjacent unauthorised construction site triggered the collapse.

Nearby residential structures in the area have also been found to be weak buildings constructed on tiny plots without proper structural columns or beams.

Sood said the magisterial enquiry into the collapse has the mandate to ascertain the exact facts, circumstances, and root causes of the building collapse.

It will also identify violations of laws, building rules, and safety stipulations by owners, tenants, or private individuals and also check for lapses or omissions on the part of government departments, civic agencies, and their officers to fix accountability.

Sood said the enquiry will also recommend strict legal action against all erring individuals, agencies, or officials and examine the implementation of the National Disaster Management Act, 2005, and suggest permanent preventive measures to avoid such tragedies in the future.