Cyclone Fengal expected to cross coast near Puducherry tomorrow
A deep depression earlier intensified very slowly even as the India Metrological Department (IMD)’s initial forecast said it would intensify into Cyclone Fengal on Wednesday evening
Authorities have put north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh on cyclone watch as Cyclone Fengal was expected to develop on Friday and likely to cross the coast between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80 km per hour gusting to 90 km per hour on Saturday afternoon.
A deep depression earlier intensified very slowly even as the India Metrological Department (IMD)’s initial forecast said it would intensify into Cyclone Fengal on Wednesday evening. The cyclone was expected to continue to move towards the Tamil Nadu coast and weaken marginally before landfall into a deep depression. The IMD said the wind speed during landfall was expected to be around 55 to 60 km per hour.
The timeline was changed as it was expected to develop into the cyclone on Friday. The deep depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal was about 270 km north-northeast of Trincomalee, 300 km east of Nagapattinam, 340 km east-southeast of Puducherry, and 380 km southeast of Chennai.
“It is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm...Thereafter, it is likely to continue to move northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph...” IMD said on Friday.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rain was very likely at isolated places in north Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema, south Coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Yanam on Saturday. Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places was very likely in interior Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Heavy rainfall was likely at isolated places in Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Yanam, and Rayalaseema over the weekend.
Squally wind speeds reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph were expected in Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.