Tamil Nadu braces for another cyclonic storm, flood scare eases in Pulicat island

Latest satellite and ship observations indicate that the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved west ­northwestwards and lies centred at about 710 km of Trincomalee.
A waterlogged road in Chennai on Wednesday (Photo | R Satish Babu, EPS)
A waterlogged road in Chennai on Wednesday (Photo | R Satish Babu, EPS)

CHENNAI: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday confirmed the formation of another cyclonic storm by December 2, which would impact south Tamil Nadu and Kerala coasts.

Latest satellite and ship observations indicate that the depression over the southeast Bay of Bengal has moved west ­northwestwards and lies centred at about 710 km of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) and 1,120 km east­ southeast of Kanyakumari.

"It is likely to intensify into a deep depression by Monday night and intensify further into a cyclonic storm by December 1 night," said officials of the regional meteorological centre here.

Under its influence, heavy rains would start from December. "Extremely heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari and Ramanathapuram districts. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Pudukkottai, Sivagangai, Virudhunagar, Tenkasi, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts and Karaikal area. Heavy rain is also likely to occur at isolated places over Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts," said S Balachandran, deputy director-general of meteorology, regional meteorological centre.

Squally weather with wind speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph is expected over southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from December 1 night and 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over southwest Bay of Bengal along and off Sri Lanka coast and 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph over Comorin Area, Gulf of Mannar and Tamilnadu-Kerala coasts from December 2 forenoon for subsequent 24 hours.
As the sea condition will be rough to very rough, fishermen were warned not to venture into southeast and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal from December 1 night.

In Chennai, the weather would remain pleasant with cloudy skies. Thunderstorms with light to moderate rain may occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures are likely to be 30ºC and 24ºC respectively. Meanwhile, the flood scare in Pasiyavaram island has eased with the choked Pulicat bar mouth opening-up.

The inhabitants of the island told The New Indian Express that floodwaters from Arani river had submerged the only approach road to the island, but at the same time had broken the sand bar at the bar mouth, which has helped ease the situation. The water is now draining into the sea smoothly during the low tide, but connectivity is still hampered during high tide. Muthuswamy, district revenue officer of Tiruvallur, said to address this problem State fisheries department has proposed to build groynes to stabilise the bar mouth and keep it open round the year. "The proposal is pending before the Union Environment Ministry," he said.

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