Fresh cyclone brewing in Bay of Bengal to hit TN on Dec 4

A week after Cyclone Nivar’s arrival, another cyclonic storm is likely to hit Tamil Nadu on December 4, the Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.

The deep depression, brewing in the Bay of Bengal, is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm by late Tuesday night, the IMD said.

It is very likely to cross the Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee during the evening or night of December 2 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 75-85 kilometres per hour gusting to 95 kmph.

It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on December 3 morning. It would then move nearly west-south-westwards and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanyakumari and Pamban around early morning of December 4, it said.

Last week, a very severe cyclonic storm, Nivar, had battered the southern state. The cyclone, which intensified into a severe cyclonic storm, made a landfall in Karaikal, Puducherry on the midnight of November 25. Although it weakened into a cyclonic storm, Nivar brought heavy rains to coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, leaving roads inundated.

While the Tamil Nadu government had evacuated more than a lakh people from low lying areas and accommodated them in 1,000 cyclone shelters, bus services were suspended in seven coastal districts ahead of the storm’s landfall.

(With inputs from agencies)