With a cyclonic storm lying 600 km south-east over Bay of Bengal, coastal areas of West Bengal were alerted on Monday about heavy rains in the next two days.

The Regional Meteorological Centre said fishermen in coastal areas were asked not to venture into the sea where gusts were likely at windspeeds of 50 to 64 km per hour.

The system was likely to intensify and move in a north-northeasterly direction.

Meanwhile, some parts of south Bengal experienced rains and there were hailstorms in many areas in central districts of Murshidabad and Birbhum, officials said.