Depression to cross TN coast as severe cyclonic storm on Nov 25

Chennai: With the depression over the Bay of Bengal likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm by Tuesday and cross the coast as a severe cyclonic storm a day after,the Tamil Nadu government on Monday reviewed the situation,asking the respective district administrations to be on guard.

The depression over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwest wards with a speed of 11 kmph and lay centred at 1130 hrs of Monday over the same region, about 520 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 560 km southeast of Chennai, the IMD said.

The depression is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a bulletin.

"It is very likely to move northwestwards and cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around November 25 afternoon as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph," it said.

Under its influence, widespread rainfall/thunderstorm were "very likely" over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal during November 24 to 26, the IMD warned. Isolated extremely heavy rainfall was very likely over Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Perambalur, Kallakurichi, Puducherry, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Chengalpattu between Wednesday and Thursday. As a result, a high alert has been sounded in Nagapattinam and fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea till November 26. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who held a review meeting here,asked his cabinet colleagues and officials to remain fully alert and take appropriate precautionary measures to minimise the damage likely to be caused by the weather system.

Meanwhile, the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Monday reviewed the status of cyclone "Nivar" that is expected to hit the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry between Tuesday and Thursday and directed that fishermen should not be allowed to venture out to sea.

The NCMC, headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, also directed everyone concerned to continue to work with an aim of zero loss of life and early restoration of normalcy in the affected areas, an official statement said. The NCMC reviewed the status of the impending cyclone Nivar at a meeting held through video-conferencing with the chief secretaries of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The chief secretaries briefed the NCMC about their preparedness and mentioned that the authorities are fully prepared to meet any eventuality.

They also informed the NCMC about the coordination with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and other agencies to tackle the challenge.