Cyclone Mandous: Red alert in 13 Tamil Nadu districts, heavy rain predicted

Severe cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ is expected to move west-northwestwards and cross the coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota on the intervening night of December 9-10, according to Indian Meteorological Department.

The weather forecasting agency said that the severe cyclonic storm is currently lying over the southwest Bay of Bengal, 240km east-southeast of Karaikal. Mandous will cross the coast of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh at a windspeed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph.

“SCS Mandous over SW BoB about 240km ESE of Karaikal. To move WNW and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south AP coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a windspeed of 65-75 kmph around midnight of 09 Dec to early hours of 10 Dec,” IMD Twitter handle said in a morning update.

Rainfall prediction

According to the Met department, light to moderate rain is likely to occur in most places over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal area on Friday. Heavy to very heavy rain is likely in some places with isolated extremely heavy rain to occur over the Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts of Tamilnadu and Puducherry.

Heavy to very heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Tiruvallur, Chennai, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore districts of Tamilnadu. Heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Karur, Dindigul, Madurai and Sivaganga districts of Tamilnadu and Karaikal.

A red alert has been issued for 13 districts in Tamil Nadu, including Chengalpattu, Villupuram and Kancheepuram districts.

Preparation

The Tamil Nadu government said 12 teams comprising nearly 400 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and the State force have been deployed in 10 districts in the Cauvery delta region, Chennai, its three neighbouring districts and Cuddalore. A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges on Friday.

The Greater Chennai Corporation issued precautionary measures, including shutting down all parks and playgrounds till further notice. Chennai Corporation also asked people not to visit beaches tomorrow and also asked them to park cars in open areas and not under trees.