Red alert issued, Tamil Nadu gears up for Cyclone Mandous

CHENNAI: With the forecast indicating that the depression that formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal on Tuesday forecast is likely to intensify further into a cyclone – tentatively named Mandous – by Wednesday evening and is expected to reach north Tamil Nadu on Thursday, the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, issued red alert for many districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu.

After reaching the northern coast of the State, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh, it is expected to continue to move west¬northwestwards towards the same region during the subsequent 48 hours.

The weathermen stated that heavy rainfall is likely from Thursday over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam. Predicting heavy rains on December 9, the RMC issued a red alert for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam.

Due to the cyclonic storm, strong wind is expected to reach a speed of 50 kmph to 60 kmph from Thursday morning, which is likely to further increase to 70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during the evening hours till December 10.

“Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea,” said S Balachandran, Deputy Director- General of Meteorology, RMC. Meanwhile, gearing up for the impending torrential rain, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu chaired a meeting with Balachandran at the Secretariat on Tuesday to discuss the nature and path of the cyclone. The senior officials also reviewed the deployment of the 200-personnel-strong National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF) squad from Arakkonam.

The NDRF personnel have been split into separate teams, each with 25 officials and equipped with boats and tree cutters, to attend to any eventuality. A senior NDRF official said that based on the request by the director of State disaster management department, teams were deployed in Chennai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Cuddalore, Mayiladathurai, and Tiruvarur.