Severe cyclonic storm Nivar to hit the coast of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said that a very severe cyclonic storm “Nivar” is likely to make landfall between the coast of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu coast on Wednesday between 8 pm and midnight. Tamil Nadu has already declared a public holiday tomorrow whereas Section 144 has been imposed in Puducherry for the next three days. The regional Meteorological Office in Chennai said the cyclone is likely to move northwestwards and pass the Karaikal-Mamallapuram coast around noon on Wednesday. Villupuram, Cuddalore, Puducherry, and Chennai are expected to be among the worst-hit regions. According to the cyclone live tracker, Nivar has been stagnant for the past three hours. Earlier, it was moving at a speed of 5 km per hour.

Meanwhile, with heavy rain expected over parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema, the Andhra Pradesh government alerted all district officials and dispatched National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF teams to Nellore, said disaster management commissioner K Kannababu. As the Bay of Bengal sea is expected to be rough under the influence of the depression, Kannababu advised fishermen not to venture into the sea. He also advised caution to people living on the coastal and low lying areas, including paddy farmers harvesting their crops.

The Tamil Nadu government is pulling out all stops to ensure no repeat of the 2015 floods in the city, as they mounted a vigil on four reservoirs, anticipating a rapid rise in water levels in view of heavy rains forecast due to cyclone Nivar, likely to cross the state coast on Wednesday.

The administration has taken necessary precautions to release the water in phases and avert flooding, as in 2015, in the event of an upsurge in the storage levels, a senior PWD department official said.