With a low-pressure area adjoining the southwest Bay of Bengal and south Sri Lanka coast persisting on Sunday, the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has extended its period of alert for fishermen on the state’s coast till March 14. The original deadline of March 13 was extended following an update by the India Meteorology Department (IMD) stating that the low-pressure area is likely to move west-northwestward. “It is likely to move west-northwestwards and become a well-marked low-pressure area during the next 48 hours and depression over the subsequent 24 hours over the southeast Arabian Sea,” the IMD said. The weathermen had already issued an alert to fishermen, advising them against venturing into the sea off south Tamil Nadu, south Kerala coasts and the equatorial Indian Ocean, Comorin area and the Gulf of Mannar area, during the next 48 hours. The IMD has forecast rain and thundershower at a few places on Monday and many places on Tuesday over the southern parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Squally wind reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 kmph is also predicted over the Comorin area and along and off South Tamil Nadu and south Kerala coasts, during the next 48 hours. The IMD said the sea’s condition would be “rough to very rough” over the Comorin and adjoining sea areas during the next 48 hours and over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian sea between March 12 and 14. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Saturday directed the Thiruvananthapuram district collector to ensure that fishermen do not venture into the sea.