Heavy rainfall alert in Tamil Nadu as Cyclone Mandous set to make landfall

As the deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm Mandous, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday morning issued an alert for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts.

Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Chennai and other districts in Tamil Nadu over the next two days. The Tiruvarur, Thanjavur and Vellore district administrations have declared a holiday for schools today and tomorrow in view of heavy rain forecast.

Red alert

The IMD issued a red alert for three districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Kanchipuram, and Puducherry due to the heavy rain forecast on Friday. A total of nine districts, including Tiruvallur, Chennai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore, and Ranipet, have been issued orange alerts.

Also read: TN, Puducherry, southern Andhra brace for Cyclone Mandous as IMD issues alert

“Deep depression over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm “Mandous” pronounced as “Man-Dous” (cyclone alert for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts): Yellow Message,” the IMD said in a tweet at 3:12 am on Thursday.

Earlier, IMD had predicted that the deep depression was likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify gradually into a cyclonic storm and reach the southwest Bay of Bengal, north Tamil Nadu Puducherry and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coast by Thursday morning.

“Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Coastal Andhra and isolated very heavy rainfall is likely over north interior Tamil Nadu and adjoining Rayalaseema on December 9,” the IMD predicted in its bulletin.

Relief likely after Dec 10

The rainfall activities are likely to reduce thereafter. However, some areas in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh are likely to witness very heavy rains on December 10.

Squally winds are predicted for Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and south Andhra Pradesh till December 10. It is likely to reduce gradually to 50-60 kmph by afternoon of December 10 and then to 40-50 kmph by December 10 night.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the southeast Bay of Bengal during these days, along and off the Sri Lanka coast.

Meanwhile, Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangaswamy held a review meeting of the Puducherry Disaster Management Authority, in view of the heavy rainfall alert due to cyclonic formation over the Bay of Bengal.

NDRF on alert

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team is on alert and ready to tackle any situation.

The Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor District Collector Y Harinarayanan has ordered the district and mandal level officials of all departments to be vigilant and make advance arrangements for relief operations in the wake of Cyclone Mandous.

He said that as a part of identifying the rehabilitation centres first and arranging minimum facilities for them, they want to make available those who take midday meals in schools and make essential commodities available for meal arrangements.