The Regional Meteorological Centre of Chennai on Monday said that Cyclone Nivar is expected to make landfall in Tamil Nadu on November 25.
"The depression over south-west Bay of Bengal to intensify in the south-east of Chennai, it is very likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm, based on the current conditions it will approach north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast and expected to landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram by November 25 afternoon," said Director-General of Regional Meteorological Centre of Chennai, S Balachandran told news agency ANI.
However, rainfall is expected to start from November 24 in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and will remain till November 26. During November 24 and 25 extremely heavy rainfall is expected at North coastal districts and delta districts.
According to the weather department, from today (November 24) onwards strong winds of about 55 to 65 kilometre per hour is expected to occur over North coastal religion. It has advised fishermen to avoid the sea. Officials asked people to keep food materials with them and avoid unnecessary travel.
On Tuesday, scattered heavy to extremely heavy rain is likely to occur in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruchirapalli, Perambalur, Pudukottai, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai and Kallakurichi districts of Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry's Karaikal and coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
Meanwhile, NDRF has earmarked 30 teams to launch rescue and relief operations in view of the cyclone 'Nivar' that is expected to hit the coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry between Tuesday and Thursday.
A senior National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) officer told PTI that 12 teams have been pre-deployed and 18 teams are on standby in these states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. These teams will further be deployed in coordination with local authorities for relief and rescue works, including assistance in evacuation of locals from affected areas.
A NDRF team has about 35 to 45 personnel, depending on the task at hand, and they are equipped with tree and pole cutters, basic medicines and other tools to help affected people.
On Monday, Union Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba had chaired a meeting of National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to review the status of impending Cyclone through video conferencing with the chief secretaries of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
(Inputs from ANI and PTI)
