Tamil Nadu's coastal areas, including Cuddalore and parts of Chennai, on Thursday received rainfall under the influence of cyclone Nada, which now lies 270 km south-east of Puducherry and is expected to weaken into a deep depression.
It is likely to cross the coast between Vedaranniyam and Puducherry, close to Cuddalore, by Friday morning.
The government has asked public to call toll free numbers 1070 and 1077 during emergency situations and advised them to listen to the latest updates by the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The Department has forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Thursday and Friday.
The School Education Department has announced a holiday for schools on Thursday and Friday in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts and in Marakkanam and Vannur taluks in Villupuram district. Separately, the Puducherry administration has declared a two-day holiday.
The latest:
Strong winds with speeds reaching 45-50 km/hr are likely along and off the southern coast of AP, according to a spokeswoman of the Cyclone Warning Centre. Fishermen of south coastal AP have been warned against venturing into the sea and those from north coastal AP advised to remain cautious while going out for fishing.Rain or thundershowers are likely at isolated places over south coastal AP from Thursday night.
Schools and colleges in the district have announced a holiday. By 8 a.m, the district had received about 22 mm of rainfall.
Cloudy weather persisted in Kanyakumari. The Poompuhar Shipping Corporation has suspended ferry ride to the Vivekananda Rock and Thiruvalluvar statue since morning.
Nada is expected to move in the direction of west-northwest and weaken into a deep depression. It will cross the Tamil Nadu coast, south of Cuddalore, in early hours of Dec. 2
Our Cuddalore Correspondent says there is heavy rain in the coastal district. The seas are rough and about 80 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel are on standby.
Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi said the government has put in place all necessary disaster management arrangements. Development Commissioner Narendra Kumar held a meeting with officials of the PWD and other departments concerned with relief and rehabilitation works.
As a precautionary measure, the NDRF has sent four of its teams to Chennai, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts.
Nada is likely to bring widespread rains over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry till Friday, S. Balachandran, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai, said on Wednesday. “While there will be fairly widespread rains till Friday in most parts of coastal Tamil Nadu, there may not be torrential downpour like last year,” he clarified. As on Wednesday, Nada lay centered over southwest Bay of Bengal, about 590 km Southeast of Chennai and 560 km east-southeast of Puducherry.
