Cyclone Mandous: Flights cancelled in Tamil Nadu, NDRF teams deployed as landfall process begins

The landfall process of Cyclone Mandous has begun before it culminates during the intermittent night of Friday and Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said as per latest update.

The wind speed, moving northwestwards, is at 14 km/hour. “Strong winds have already started in Chennai and nearby areas at a speed of 50-60km/hour…Rainfall and high-speed winds will continue,” S Balachandran, Dy DG of Meteorology, Regional Metrology Centre on cyclone, was quoted as saying by ANI.

Rainfall battered several regions of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh during the day as the cyclonic storm approaches. News agency ANI reported that devotees visiting Tirupati Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, Andhra Pradesh, faced several problems starting from hampered darshan to difficulty in reaching hotels as rain hit the city in the southern state under the influence of Cyclone Mandous. Low-lying areas of the temple, including the premises, reportedly witnessed waterlogging, making it tough for devotees to commute from their hotels.

Meanwhile, more than 10 flights were cancelled at Chennai Airport earlier in the day due to the adverse weather arising from Cyclone Mandous, an official statement on Twitter read.

Preparations

Multiple teams of the NDRF and SDRF have been deployed in both Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu ahead of Cyclone Mandous’s landfall. In Andhra, as many as 10 teams of both the relief forces have been deployed and in Tamil Nadu, 400 personnel have been deputed in Chennai, Cuddalore, Tiravarur, Villupuram and more.

The Greater Chennai Corporation has issued precautionary measures, including shutting down all parks and playgrounds till further notice. Chennai Corporation has asked people not to visit beaches Saturday and also to park their cars in open spaces and not beneath trees.

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin said that government officers are “regularly monitoring the situation”. He also visited and inspected the state emergency operation centre in Chepauk amid the cyclone alert.

Stalin urged people to follow government directions and cooperate with the government.

Expectations

The IMD predicted that the maximum wind speed will cross up to 85km/hours in view of Cyclone Mandous – a Saudi Arabia given name, pronounced as ‘man-dous’ that means treasure box. Earlier, the weather department had issued red alerts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry. “The storm surge of about 0.5 m height above the astronomical tide likely to inundate low-lying areas of north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the time of landfall,” the IMD told HT.

Rainfall predictions

In its latest bulletin, the IMD predicted widespread rainfall in north coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, south coastal Andhra Pradesh, north interior Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema for the remainder of the day.

On Saturday, the intensity of the rain is expected to reduce to light to moderate, and will hit north Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema, adjoining south Andhra Pradesh and south interior Karnataka, the IMD added.