CHENNAI: Cyclone Nivar is likely to bring extreme rainfall and high-speed winds exceeding 120kmph, the Met department has said. The cyclone, which is brewing in the Bay of Bengal, is most likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm. It is likely to make landfall between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
Meanwhile, some weather models show the landfall close to Chennai. S Balachandran, deputy director general of meteorology at Regional Meteological Centre, told reporters that the system was moving at 11 kmph and was 560 km away from Chennai. “It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 24 hours moving northwestwards and cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around November 25 afternoon as a severe cyclonic storm with sustained wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120kmph.”
If it takes the predicted path, Nivar will hit Delta districts hard. The IMD has sounded red alert in Ariyalur, Myaduturai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvanamalai, Kallakurichi and Perambalur. While orange alert is issued in north coastal districts like Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet and interior districts like Vellore, Dharmapuri, Tirupattur and Krishnagiri.
Chennai and neighbouring districts are likely to get 11 cm to 20 cm of rainfall spells. The wind speed would increase from 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph on Tuesday to 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph off coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday.
The met officials have also issued storm surge warning, according to which tidal wave of about 1-m height above the astronomical tide may inundate low-lying areas near place of landfall.The depression over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 14 km/ph during past six hours, intensified into a deep depression and lay centred at 17:30 hrs IST on November 23 over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 9.9°N and longitude 83.3°E, about 450 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 480 km southeast of Chennai.
For the next 12 hours
It is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm during next 12 hours, and into a severe cyclonic storm during subsequent 24 hours. It is likely to move northwestwards and cross TNand Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram during November 25 evening as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph