With Cyclone Nivar expected to make landfall along the Tamil Nadu coast and Puducherry coast on November 25, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal today.
As of 5.30am on Tuesday, the cyclone was located at about 410 kms east-southeast of Puducherry and 450kms southeast of Chennai.
The IMD has also forecasted heavy rainfall at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The cyclone is expected to gain strength into a Severe Cyclone category (90 to 100 km/hr gusting to 110 km/hr) by Wednesday. The IMD has issued a red alert for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while a yellow alert has been issued for coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The IMD has also suggested a complete suspension of fishing activity in the west-southwest regions of the Bay of Bengal till November 25.
Fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea during the period due to rough weather.
The weather forecast department has said that the depression over southwest and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved west-north westwards and lay centred about 520km east southeast of Puducherry and 560km southeast of Chennai.
Authorities in Tamil Nadu have suspended inter and intra-district bus services in seven of the state’s districts from Tuesday and partially and fully cancelled trains in some districts as severe cyclonic storm Nivar is likely to cross its coast between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday spoke to the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry regarding the situation in the wake of Cyclone Nivar and assured them of all possible support from the Centre.
The Puducherry government has imposed section 144 for 3 days starting from 9 pm today to 6 am on November 26 as a precautionary measure.
Officials are also directed to ensure evacuation of people in vulnerable areas, facilities, including the supply of food in relief camps, safeguarding boats and nets of fishermen, taking up fogging operations, monitoring water levels in big lakes and provision of mobile communication units.
