Bhubaneswar, Nov 21 (IANS): Fishermen in southern Odisha were Thursday warned against venturing out into the sea due to formation of severe cyclonic storm Helen over the Bay of Bengal.

The cyclonic storm over west central Bay of Bengal moved slightly towards the northwest and lay centred at about 410 km south by southwest of the port town of Gopalpur, a weather official said.

It would move northwestwards slowly for some time, then westward and cross Andhra Pradesh coast near Machillipatnam around Friday afternoon or evening, a senior official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre told IANS.

Fishermen on the south Odisha coast have been advised not to venture into the sea while fishermen on the north Odisha coast have been advised to be cautious while venturing out, he said.

There is no threat to the state's coast but rain or thundershowers may occur at many places during the next two days. One or two places may see heavy rain, the official said.

Paradip and Gopalpur ports have been asked to keep distant storm warning signal number two hoisted, he added.