Less than a week after Cyclone Nivar battered Tamil Nadu, another storm is expected to affect the southern state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday has issued a pre-Cyclone watch for South Tamil Nadu and South Kerala coasts predicting that weather conditions there could intensify into a Cyclonic Storm in coming hours.
"Pre-Cyclone Watch for South Tamil Nadu and South Kerala coasts. The Depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestward at 2330 hrs of 30th Nov 2020 about 590kms ESE of Trincomalee(SL). To intensify further into a Deep Depression and subsequently into a Cyclonic Storm," India Meteorological Department (IMD).
"The Depression over the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly westwards with a speed of 10 kmph during past six hours, intensified into a Deep Depression and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 01st December 2020 over southwest and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal near Lat. 7.8°N and Long. 86.0°E, about 530 km east-southeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) and 930 km east-southeast of Kanniyakumari (India)," IMD said.
It is very likely to intensify further into a Deep Depression during the next six hours and into a cyclonic storm during the subsequent 12 hours, IMD said.
"It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross Sri Lanka coast between latitude 7.50N and 9.00N close to Trincomalee during evening/night of 2nd December. It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter, emerge into Comorin area on 3rd December morning and move westward towards south Tamil Nadu coast," IMD said.
As the sea is expected to become rough due to the weather system, fishermen are advised not to venture into the southeast and adjoining the southwest Bay of Bengal from the night of December 1 and along and off east Sri Lanka coast, Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and Tamil Nadu-Kerala coasts from forenoon of December 2 for the subsequent 24 hours.
"Fishermen are advised not to venture into southeast Bay of Bengal during 1st December, the southwest Bay of Bengal and along & off east Sri Lanka coast from 1st to 3rd December; Comorin Area, Gulf of Mannar and south Tamilnadu-Kerala coasts from 2nd to 4th December, over Lakshadweep-Maldives area & adjoining southeast the Arabian Sea from 3rd to 4th December," IMD said. Also, those who are out at sea are advised to return to the coast by November 30, it said.
As per the IMD, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely over south Tamil Nadu on December 1 and 4, and over south Kerala on December 2 and 4. Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha in South Kerala are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall with isolated extremely heavy falls on December 2 and 3.
Moreover, north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Mahe and Karaikal and north Kerala will also witness heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places on December 2 and 3. Heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh during December 2 and 3, and over Lakshadweep from December 3 and 4, IMD said.
Last week, a "very severe cyclonic storm" Nivar had hit Tamil Nadu. While there were no reports of loss of life, about 2.5 lakh people were housed in cyclone shelters in the state as part of safety measures.
(Inputs from Agencies)
