Red alert for Chennai remains but cyclonic storm unlikely

CHENNAI: Chennaiites can heave a sigh of relief as the deep depression developing in the Bay of Bengal is unlikely to intensify into a cyclonic storm due to high wind shear, as per the Regional Meteorological Centre and weather bloggers. However, a red alert has been issued for Chennai and neighbouring districts for November 30.

The system prevailing over the sea is likely to make landfall as depression between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Saturday.

The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved northeastward with a speed of 10 kmph over the past six hours and lay centred over the same region on Thursday. The system is about 200 km northeast of Trincomalee, 340 km east-southeast of Nagapattinam, 410 km southeast of Puducherry and 470 km southeast of Chennai.

It is very likely to move nearly northward and maintain its intensity of deep depression till Friday morning. Thereafter, it will move northwestward, weakening gradually into a depression by evening. Continuing to move further northwestward, it is very likely to cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram around Saturday morning as a depression with a wind speed of 45 kmph to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph.

"Since the convergence has reduced on Wednesday, there were mild showers in some areas, and no rains in several parts of districts. As the deep depression is likely to intensify and remain so, coastal districts including Chennai are likely to receive heavy rain on Friday,” said S Balachandran, Deputy Director-General of Meteorology.

On Friday, extremely heavy rain is likely to occur over Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam districts. Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Ariyalur and Thanjavur are likely to receive very heavy rainfall along with strong winds of 45 kmph to 55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph. A yellow warning has been issued for Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Trichy, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts.

As the depression is likely to make a landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, the weather department has issued red alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore districts, predicting scattered heavy to very heavy rain with extremely heavy rain on November 30. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur over Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Trichy, Pudukkottai and Karur districts.

"It is one of the common occurrences of no cyclone formation as predicted, the delay in cyclone Fengal formation was because the weather system prevailed off the Sri Lanka coast, and the wind shear was high. Though there is no cyclone formation, coastal districts are likely to receive intense monsoon spell for the next two days,” said a city-based weather blogger, K Srikanth.

Rescued fishers, civilians express gratitude

CUDDALORE: Six fishermen and four civilians who were rescued on Thursday thanked the State Government and the Indian Coast Guard for their swift and daring rescue operation. The operation to rescue 10 individuals who were stranded at the abandoned Chemplast Jetty near Cuddalore was launched after the state government requested the Indian Coast Guard’s assistance, following reports that two fishing boats had sunk due to rough weather.