Another storm could hit Tamil Nadu after Cyclone Nivar: IMD

Another storm is expected to affect Tamil Nadu less than a week after Cyclone Nivar hit the southern state, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Monday. The weather department said the cyclone, which will cross the Sri Lanka coast on December 2, will bring heavy rain over Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

The weather department has issued a red alert for the southern areas of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in view of the brewing storm and said these areas are expected to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall. A well-marked low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression. “It is very likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 24 hours. It is also likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross the Sri Lanka coast around the evening of December 2,” IMD said.

“It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter and emerge into the Comorin area on December 3 morning,” IMD’s Cyclone Warning Division said.

Squally weather with wind speed would gradually increase becoming 55-65 kilometres per hour gusting to 75kmph over the southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from the night of December 1 and 70-80kmph gusting to 90kmph over southwest Bay of Bengal, along and off Sri Lanka coast, the weather bureau said. Winds with a speed of 45-55kmph gusting to 65kmph are likely over the Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and Tamil Nadu-Kerala coasts from the forenoon of December 2 for subsequent 24 hours.

The sea is expected to become rough due to the weather system and fishermen have bee advised not to venture into the southeast and adjoining 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. Those out at sea are advised to return to the coast by November 30, IMD said.

Last week, “very severe cyclonic storm” Nivar had hit Tamil Nadu. Cyclone Nivar, which made landfall on November 26, brought heavy rainfall and flooded several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry but did not cause any large-scale damage to life or property.