Very severe cyclonic storm Nivar has crossed the coast near Puducherry and weakened into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.
Chennai: The landfall process of Cyclone Nivar (pronounced Nivaar, meaning atmosphere) began late Wednesday night, according to India Meteorological Department’s (IMD). Nivar weakened into a severe cyclonic storm as it crossed the coast near Puducherry.
The torrential rains accompanied by gusty winds lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry
Authorities in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have taken a slew of measures to handle the situation arising out of the cyclonic storm, which has led to heavy rainfall in several regions. Over one lakh people have been taken to safety from coastal areas and power supply disconnected in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure.
Earlier, the IMD had said Nivar will cross coast near Puducherry with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph. "Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: Center lies over Land. Crossed coast near Puducherry during 2330 of 25th Nov-0230 IST of 26th Nov," the weather department tweeted.
Nivar is the second cyclone to have developed in the Bay of Bengal this year after Cyclone Amphan wreaked havoc in West Bengal in May after developing into a ‘super cyclonic storm’.
When the cyclone makes landfall, it is likely to carry a wind speed of 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph.
The National Crisis Management Committee, headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, on Tuesday directed all concerned authorities to continue work aiming at zero loss of life and early restoration of normalcy in the affected areas, including power and telecommunications networks.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said that their teams are fully prepared to meet any eventuality. SN Pradhan, Director General of the NDRF, said that so far 30 teams of the force have been deployed in the three states, and 20 more have been kept on standby for immediate deployment if the need arises. The force has also stationed some reserve teams at Guntur (Andhra Pradesh), Thrissur (Kerala) and Mundli (Odisha).
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami declared Thursday also a public holiday for 13 districts, including Chennai, Vellore, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Chengelpet, and Kanchipuram in view of the cyclone. Wednesday was already declared a holiday. The Puducherry administration, meanwhile, had imposed Section 144 from 9 pm on Tuesday till 6 am on November 26 (Thursday).
Path / track of Cyclone Nivar
The cyclonic storm Nivar has crossed the coast near Puducherry, triggering heavy winds and rainfall activity in the neighbouring areas. It brought very heavy rainfall in Puducherry (237 mm), Tamil Nadu's Cuddalore town (237 mm), and state capital Chennai late last night.
The Met Department has predicted that fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm activity very likely over coastal and north interior Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, and southeast Telangana throughout Thursday.
Isolated extremely heavy rainfall activity is also very likely over coastal and north interior Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Myladuthirai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurchi, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Puducherry and Karaikal districts) on Wednesday; over Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, and over Rayalaseema and southeast Telangana on Thursday.
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