Cyclone Mandous Update: Red Warning Issued for 13 Tamil Nadu Districts, Holiday Declared!

Weather Update

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

The weather forecasting agency claimed that the strong cyclonic storm is now resting over the southwest Bay of Bengal, 240km east-southeast of Karaikal. With windspeed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph, Mandous will pass right along the coasts of north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and neighboring south Andhra Pradesh.

IMD's Tweet

IMD Twitter posted a tweet that “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.”

According to the metrological department, at 2:30 am on Friday, the cyclone was centered approximately 240 km east-southeast of Karaikal, 240 km north-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 240 km east-northeast of Jaffna (Sri Lanka) and about 320 km south-southeast of Chennai.

Intense spells of rainfall are predicted to occur across Thiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts of Tamil Nadu within the next three hours, the Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai stated at 7:00 am on Friday. Additionally, Puducherry, Karaikal, and several districts of Tamil Nadu are anticipated to get moderate to light rainfall. Rainfall is likely to diminish the following landfall.

NDRF deployed in 10 districts

The Tamil Nadu government stated 12 teams of approximately 400 troops from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State force had been deployed in 10 districts including Nagapattinam and Thanjavur in the Cauvery delta area, Chennai, its three adjacent districts and Cuddalore.

Schools Closed, Holiday Declared

Today, schools will be closed in a number of Tamil Nadu districts, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, Vellore, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Ranipet, Perambalur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, and others.

Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu over a high-level meeting and gave instructions to staff to see that all prescribed precautions were carried out, including advance notice of the release of extra water from reservoirs and the relocation of people living in susceptible regions to relief shelters. It has been requested that people should stay back home today.