Deep depression off Tamil Nadu intensifies into cyclonic storm
| Date :25-Nov-2020 |
CHENNAI :
THE deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone and is likely to cross the coast between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as a severe storm on Wednesday. The official machinery has been put on high alert in Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring Union Territory of Puducherry and extensive precautionary measures, including evacuation of people from vulnerable areas, taken, the Governments said. The cyclone christened ‘Nivar’ was very likely to cross the coast between Karaikal in Puducherry and Mamallapuram, over 50 kms from here, on Wednesday late evening as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 km per hour gusting to 120 kmph, the Met Department said on Tuesday.
It said rainfall is very likely at most places in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, near Nagapattinam, on Wednesday with heavy to very heavy showers at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places under the influence of the cyclone, the first one to form since the onset of the northeast monsoon on October 28. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry K Palaniswami and V Narayanasamy respectively on the situation arising out of the cyclone and assured them of all possible support from the Centre.
While intermittent rains lashed several parts of the State and the UT on Tuesday, multiple State and Central agencies, including the Coast Guard, the National Disaster Response Force, the Fire and Rescue Services, have deployed their assets and personnel to tackle the cyclone’s fury. A holiday has been declared in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry for Wednesday in view of the cyclone’s expected landfall while transport services have been suspended.