Chennai: The deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is moving north-northwestwards at a speed of 13 kmph and is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours, bringing heavy rain across Tamil Nadu, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC).
In a statement, the RMC reported that the deep depression is currently located about 120 km east-southeast of Trincomalee, 370 km southeast of Nagapattinam, 470 km southeast of Puducherry, and 550 km south-southeast of Chennai.
The system is expected to continue moving north-northwestwards, skirting the Sri Lankan coast, and is likely to approach the Tamil Nadu coast over the next two days.
The RMC has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated places across the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Cuddalore.
Heavy rains are also expected in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts on Thursday.
An Orange alert has been issued for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Ranipet districts on November 29 and 30, indicating the likelihood of heavy rainfall.
The RMC has issued a warning of strong winds, with gusts of up to 65 kmph, likely over the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal on November 28.
This is the fourth weather system to form during the Northeast Monsoon season since mid-October.
A similar rainfall pattern is expected across coastal and northern Tamil Nadu from November 29 to December 2.
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin chaired a review meeting with District Collectors and monitoring officers to assess the state’s preparedness for the heavy rains and potential cyclonic storm. The government said that the Chief Minister has reviewed precautionary measures in Mayiladuthurai, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Cuddalore districts.
District Collectors have assured that adequate relief camps have been established, and medical teams equipped with necessary resources are on standby. Disaster response teams have been pre-positioned, and first responders, along with volunteers, have been mobilised.
Emergency control centres at the state and district levels are functioning round the clock with multi-department coordination.
Following the Chief Minister’s directives, one team each from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been deployed to Thiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, and Cuddalore districts. Additionally, two NDRF teams have been stationed in Thanjavur.
–IANS
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