Cyclone Gaja: Red Alert Issued for Areas in Coastal Tamil Nadu

Guwahti: A red alert has been issued for areas in coastal Tamil Nadu by the India Meteorological Department as Cyclone Gaja, a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal, is set to make landfall on Thursday, November 15. The areas also include Chennai, which may experience very heavy rainfall on Thursday and Friday as the cyclone makes landfall between Chennai and Nagapattinam.

According to a bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department on Monday said, “Heavy to very heavy rain at a few places with extremely heavy rain at isolated places likely over north Tamilnadu & Puducherry, heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over South Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and south Tamil Nadu and heavy rain at isolated places over Kerala,”

Stating that the cyclonic storm Gaja, over west central and adjoining east central and southeast Bay of Bengal moved further westwards. As of 5.30 am on Monday, it lay centered about 740 km east ­northeast of Chennai and 840 km east northeast of Nagapattinam district, The weather agency, also said

“It is very likely to move west­ southwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours and maintain the intensity during subsequent 24 hours.

IMD further stated that, while moving west­ southwestwards, it is also likely to weaken gradually and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai as a cyclonic storm during 15th November afternoon.

Meanwhile, according to reports, Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Girija Vaidyanathan is meeting with officials from National Disaster Management Authority, National Disaster Response Force, and the state Revenue and Disaster Management Department on Monday to discuss cyclone preparedness.

Tamil Nadu Weatherman’ Pradeep John, an independent weather blogger In a social media post on Sunday, wrote, “Extreme rains can be expected around landfall area and also in north western Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu coastal belt of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Villupuram, Nagai will also get good rains. Entire North interior Tamil Nadu districts Tirchy, Ariyalur, Villupuram,Perambalur, Karur, Salem, Erode, Tiruppur, Coimbaore, Nilgiris, Thiruvannamalai will also get rains. Kerala too will get one day of rains. South TN which got excess rains till date will see less rains from Gaja.”

Gaja will be the second cyclone to hit the coastal area in a month after Cyclone Titli wreaked havoc in Odisha and Andhra Pradesh on October 11, killing a total of 70 people. he severe cyclonic storm, with wind speeds of 175 km per hour, uprooted thousands of electricity and telecommunication poles, devastated coconut and cashew orchards, and flattened standing crops

Also Read: Odisha reports 77 deaths in cyclone Titli