The deep depression over the Comorin area has intensified into a cyclone and is likely to move towards Lakshadweep Islands, according to the Met Department. Named Ockhi, the cyclone is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm causing heavy rainfall in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
The southern districts of Tamil Nadu have declared holiday for all schools and colleges.
Here are the updates:
Heavy rains, strong winds hit Southern Kerala; 4 killed
Thiruvananthapuram: Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds battered South Kerala coast affecting normal life at several places and claiming four lives on Thursday under the influence of Cyclone Ockhi. The State government put the official machinery on a high alert and ordered evacuation of people living within 100 metres from the coast and also sought help from the Navy, Coast Guard and the Air Force to assist people in distress.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan held discussions through video conferencing with the Collectors of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alapuzha, Pathnamthitta, Idukki and Ernakulam districts and gave them necessary directions to take steps by coordinating various government agencies. He also asked the officials to take emergency rescue operations in the affected areas and asked them maintain extreme vigil.
An elderly couple died when they came into contact with a snapped live wire in front of their house at Kattakada near Thiruvananthapuram while an autorickshaw driver was killed in Kolam district when a tree fell on his vehicle, police said. A 65-year old woman who was seriously injured when a tree branch fell on her at Vizhinjam died at the medical college hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. - PTI
Rain claims four lives in Kanyakumari
Cyclone ‘Ockhi’ has claimed four lives as gusty winds, coupled with heavy downpour, uprooted 550 trees and 950 electric poles.
Gale uprooted trees and electric poles at Vadaserry, Nagercoil, Thuckalay, Marthandam, Colachel, Kanyakumari, Kaliyakkavilai, Aralvaimozhi, Eethamozhi and other areas.
Uprooted coconut trees crushed M. Rajendran (40) of Karthigaivadali and Kumaresan (55) of Keezha Natranvilai to death when they were collecting coconuts.
A. Alexander (55) of Kamaraj Nagar near Parakkundru was killed when his house collapsed as a banyan tree fell on it. In Mondaicadu, C. Saraswathi (60) was killed when a coconut tree fell on her.
Partial cancellation of trains
Southern Railway have made the following changes in train services due to cyclonic wind and incessant torrential rain in Nagercoil – Kanniyakumari, Nagercoil - Thiruvananthapuram and Nagercoil – Tirunelveli sections.
According to a press release from Southern Railway, Train No.56715 Punalur – Kanniyakumari passenger will be partially cancelled between Neyyatinkara – Kanniyakumarijourney commencing on 30.11.2017.
Train No.16724 Kollam – Chennai Egmore Ananthapuri express will be partially cancelled between Kollam – Thiruvananthapuram journey commencing on 30.11.2017.
Train No.16723 Chennai Egmore – Kollam Ananthapuri express will be partially cancelled between Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam journey commenced on 29.11.2017
Train No.22627/22628 Tiruchi –Thiruvananthapuram – Tiruchi Intercity express will be partially cancelled between Tirunelveli – Thiruvannthapuram – Tirunelveli journey commencing on 30.11.2017.
Cyclone Ockhi to hit Lakshadweep on Dec. 2
New Delhi: Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the Lakshadweep archipelago in the southern part of the Arabian Sea will start experiencing heavy rainfall and strong winds from December 1.
“It will hit the islands on December 2,” Mr. Rajeevan said.
Squally wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph and gusting to 75 kmph was very likely along and around Lakshadweep Islands during the next 12 hours and may increase thereafter with wind speed becoming 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph from November 30 night.
Sea conditions would be “very rough to high” over and around Lakshadweep Islands during the next 12 hours and “high to very high” during subsequent 48 hours, the IMD added. - PTI
Storm kills at least seven in Sri Lanka
Colombo: A tropical storm has killed at least seven people and left five fishermen missing in Sri Lanka, bringing down trees across main roads and on houses, officials said on Thursday, warning of landslides and flooding in severely hit areas.
Heavy winds hit the island's southern, western and south-central areas.
“At the moment, there are reports of seven deaths, five missing, and more than 20,000 affected,” said Pradeep Kodippili, spokesman for the state-run Disaster Management Centre.
The government declared a holiday for schools in the rain-hit areas on Thursday. - Reuters
Why Ockhi?
Ever wondered why cyclones are given names? The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) started the tropical cyclone naming system in 2000.
The name Ockhi was given by Bangladesh which in Bengali means ‘eye’. The previous storm that hit northeastern India was called Mora. Find more on naming cyclones
Flights diverted
Two Colombo-bound Srilankan Airlines flights from Chennai and Bangalore were diverted to the Mattala Airport in the deep south Hambantota region due to bad weather.
Rain throws life out of gear in Thoothukudi
Rain continued to lash Thoothukudi and other parts of the district on Thursday, throwing life out of gear, reports Praveen Paul Joseph .
District Collector N. Venkatesh said 27 trees were uprooted in various parts by gusty winds. However, zonal teams were ready in 13 highly vulnerable points and four teams involved in restoration work. Eleven huts were partially damaged and a total of 58 Electricity Board (EB) poles were tilted and damaged.
TANGEDCO SE N. Narayanan said EB poles were mostly damaged in Tiruchendur and Udangudi in the district and personnel were fixing the problem.
Fisheries Joint Director R. Amal Xavier said two boats were stranded at sea off Periyathalai for a few hours but managed to reach the Chinna Muttom harbour. Thirteen country boats of Thoothukudi that ventured into sea a couple of days ago were being anchored at the harbour. Moreover, stormy winds caused damage to some boats anchored in Threspuram and Siluvaipatti.
The district has recorded about 3 to 4 cm of rain since Wednesday night.
Heavy rain, winds batter Kanyakumari district
Torrential overnight rain, accompanied by squally winds, lashed this district, uprooting scores of trees and affecting life on Thursday, reports PTI .
The district administration has asked people not to venture out. Many parts suffered power cuts, even as educational institutions remained closed.
A couple of trains, originating and passing through this district suffered partial to full cancellation, even as some of them were rescheduled, Southern Railway officials said.
Local administration employed personnel to remove uprooted trees as movement of vehicular traffic was affected.
Four killed, 23 missing as storm hits Sri Lanka
Storms with heavy rain and winds across Sri Lanka left four people dead and several fishermen are among 23 people missing, government sources said.
The Disaster Management Center said on Thursday up to 150 mm more rain could fall from a deep depression 200 km off the coast of Colombo.
Ockhi likely to intensify
In what could be the first cyclonic storm of this Northeast Monsoon, the India Meteorology Department (IMD) has confirmed that cyclone Ockhi (named by Bangladesh) will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm as it moves towards the Lakshadweep Islands, gusting up to 85 kmph, along and off the south Tamil Nadu coast, particularly along Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram districts, damaging power and communication lines and thatched huts.
Deep depression
The deep depression over Comorin area moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 38 kmph and intensified into a cyclonic storm and lay over Comorin area and neighbourhood about 340 km west-northwest of Galle (Sri Lanka), 60 km south of Kanyakumari and 120 km southwest of Thiruvananthapuram. The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards towards the Lakshadweep Islands and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm.
Under its influence, rainfall will occur at most places over the State with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at isolated places over south Tamil Nadu till Friday.
Heavy to very heavy rain likely in southern Tamil Nadu
According to the IMD, heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over south Tamil Nadu during next 36 hours.
Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Virudhunagar District Collectors declared holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday.
The Manonmaniam Sundaranar University postponed the semester exams scheduled for Thursday in view of rains. The revised dates will be announced later.
Dindigul District Collector Dr. Vinay declared holiday for schools on Thursday.
Bathing banned in Courtallam
Bathing was banned at the Main Falls, Five Falls and Old Courtallam Falls from Thursday morning due to floods triggered by overnight rain. The catchment areas of all 11 reservoirs in Tirunelveli district, particularly the Papanasam and Manimuthar dams, experienced good rainfall since Wednesday night.
Floods were triggered by overnight rain at Main falls.
Ferry service to the Vivekananda Rock in Kanyakumari has been suspended due to inclement weather.
Dam levels rise
The Papanasam dam had an inflow of 2,881 cusecs at 8 a.m. on Thursday following 43 mm rainfall in the catchment areas, the Manimuthar dam registered a rainfall of 31 mm that ensured an inflow of 2,692 cusecs on Thursday morning. ''The weather prevailing here indicates good rains today, particularly in the evening and at night,'' M. Ganesa Murthy, a Kaani Tribal youth from Kaaraiyar Kaani settlement, told The Hindu over the phone.
Fishing boats were damaged at Threspuram beach due to strong winds and rains in Thoothukudi Coast on Thursday.
Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi districts experience incessant drizzle from the early hours of Thursday; the district administration at first decided to go ahead with the release of water from the Manimuthar dam on Thursday as announced by the Chief Minister. But later by 9.30 a.m., Collector Sandeep Nanduri told The Hindu that water release has been postponed in view of incessant drizzle across the district. However, he did not answer a question on temporarily closing the Papanasam dam in the wake of an active monsoon.
Dams that had an increase of water levels above 3 feet in a single day were Papanasam, Servalar, Manimuthar and Kodumudiyar.
Power supply hit
Downpour, coupled with strong winds, uprooted more than 700 trees and good number of electric poles across Kanniyakumari district, badly affecting the power supply.
Power supply were suspended in various parts of Tirunelveli district since Wednesday 7 p.m. due to strong winds.
