Chennai : Cyclone Mandus, which formed in the Bay of Bengal, is making its way towards Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry. Cyclone Mandus is expected to cross the coast near Chennai at midnight on December 9. As a result, moderate to heavy rains are forecast in many parts of Tamil Nadu.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Kanchipuram in Tamil Nadu due to cyclonic storm Mandus on Friday morning. According to the Regional Meteorological Center Chennai, moderate rain is likely at many places over Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Thirunelveli and Kanyakumari and Karaikal region during the next three hours.
According to the Andhra Pradesh Meteorological Centre, the severe cyclonic storm ‘MANDUS’ over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the last six hours. Now it is 320 km south-southeast of Chennai.
The Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner has said that it is likely to make landfall over Puducherry around Mahabalipuram and Sriharikota as a cyclonic storm with maximum sustained wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight. North will cross Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh coasts. People should stay away from the beaches on 09 December. The Chennai Municipal Corporation has also prohibited parking of vehicles in open areas. Meanwhile, Education Minister A Namassivam said all schools and colleges in Puducherry and Karaikal would remain closed on Friday in view of the cyclone.
According to the state government, more than 5,000 relief camps have been opened in cyclone-prone districts. In these, people evacuated from low-lying areas have been kept. All basic facilities including food, drinking water and health will be provided to the people living in the camp. A control room has also been opened round the clock to monitor the effect of the rains.
