Heavy rains lash TN, Cyclone Burevi continues to weaken
Cyclone Burevi weakened into a deep depression and is likely to move slowly west-southwest wards and cross Tamil Nadu’s Ramanathapuram and adjoining Thoothukudi districts on Friday (December 4).
Heavy rains continued to lash Tamil Nadu on Friday (December 4) under the impact of Cyclone Burevi, leading to inundation of crops and waterlogging in many rural and urban areas. The cyclone which is currently in the form of a deep depression over the Gulf of Mannar near Ramanathapuram is likely to weaken into a depression.
The India Meteorological Department tweeted saying the deep depression over Gulf of Mannar, near Ramanathapuram districts coast remained stationary, about 40 km southwest of Ramanathapuram. It would remain stationary over the same region and weaken into a depression during the next 12 hours and then into a well-marked low pressure area, it said.
There was widespread rainfall covering many parts of the state, and several regions reported heavy to extremely heavy showers including Kollidam (36 cm, Nagapattinam district), Chidambaram (34 cm, Cuddalore), and over two dozen areas received between 10 and 28 cm rain. Crops including paddy and sugarcane were inundated in districts including Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai,and Ariyalur falling under the Cauvery delta zone and complete submergence of agricultural fields was also seen as showers continued for the third successive day. Ramanathapuram and Tirukovilur (Kallakurichi district) in southern and northern Tamil Nadu, respectively, were among the regions that received 7 cm rainfall. While Chennai received moderate rains, Madurantakam near here recorded 10 cm, and rainfall was reported from several other regions including Yercaud in Salem, Sivaganga, Namakkal, Tuticorin, Ranipet, and Karur districts as well. Low-lying residential areas in parts of Madipakkam, Velachery, Pallikaranai, and Kovilambakkam here and several other urban and rural areas in districts, including Cuddalore saw water entering the neighbourhoods and as a precautionary measure, electricity supply was halted in several districts.
Cyclone Burevi weakened into a deep depression on December 3. The Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said on December 3 the deep depression over Gulf of Mannar close to Ramanathapuram district coast remained practically stationary during past three hours.
“It laid centered at 0530 hrs IST of 04th December over Gulf of Mannar close to Ramanathapuram District coast, about 40 km southwest of Ramanathapuram, 70 km west-southwest of Pamban and 160 km northeast of Kanyakumari,” it said.
Related News: Red alert in 4 Kerala districts
“It is very likely to weaken further into a depression (wind speed 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph) during next 12 hours,” it added.
Further, IMD said that heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places is very likely over south Tamil Nadu and at isolated places over Kerala and Mahe during next 24 hours. Heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and Lakshadweep.
Fishermen were advised not to venture into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal and along and off south Tamil Nadu coast.
Deep Depression over Gulf of Mannar at 0530 IST today is close to Ramanathapuram District coast remained practically stationary, about 40 km southwest of Ramanathapuram, 70 km west-southwest of Pamban . The associated wind speed is about 55-65 gusting to 75 kmph. pic.twitter.com/UTnITPHjjB
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 4, 2020
From yesterday 8. 30 am IST to 8. 30 am IST today, rainfall was recorded (9 cm or more) in several districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district received the maximum rainfall of 20 cm, while Karaikal recorded 16 cm.
The IMD has issued yellow alerts for 10 districts of Kerala – Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Idukki, Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram.
Nagapattinam (dist Nagapattinam)- 14,
Thiruthuraipoondi (dist Tiruvarur)- 13,
Mayiladuthurai (dist Nagapattinam) , Rameswaram (dist Ramanathapuram)- 12 each,
Mudukulatur (dist Ramanathapuram)- 11,— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) December 3, 2020
Meanwhile, the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport has rescheduled nine flights scheduled for Friday.
“The operations of the airport have been suspended till 6 pm today and all the flights were rescheduled. There is a review meeting from Delhi today to assess the situation,” C.V. Ravindran, Airport Director, told PTI.
The state government had declared a public holiday on Friday for five districts in the state, including in Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Tuticorin, and Ramanathapuram districts in view of the red alert, which was issued earlier.
The state has also opened over 2,000 relief camps to face any contingencies as heavy rains were expected when cyclone Burevi made landfall.
In view of the heavy showers, the ancient Sri Nataraja temple at Chidambaram witnessed flooding of its inner corridors and photographs showing the inundation surfaced on social media.
(With inputs from PTI)
