Second cyclone to hit Tamil Nadu within a week, very heavy rainfall likely over Kerala on December 4: IMD

The India Meteorological Department has said that a second cyclone is very likely to hit Tamil Nadu on December 4.

The Cyclone Warning Division of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that a cyclone is very likely to hit Tamil Nadu on December 4, the second time in a week. The IMD has also said that very heavy rainfall is also likely over Kerala on December 4.

The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm by late Tuesday night, the IMD told news agency PTI. It is very likely to cross the Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee during the evening or night of December 2 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 75-85 kilometres per hour gusting to 95 kmph, the IMD's Cyclone Warning Division said.

"It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on December 3 morning. It would then move nearly west-southwestwards and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanyakumari and Pamban around the early morning of December 4, it said. Last week a very severe cyclonic storm, Nivar, had battered the southern state.

The deep depression over southwest and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved westwards and lay about 460 km east-southeast
of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka) and 860 km east-southeast of Kanniyakumari (India). It is very likely to intensify further into a Cyclonic Storm during next 12 hours.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee during the evening/night of December 2 as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 75-85 kmph gusting to 95 kmph. It is very likely to move nearly westwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on December 3 morning, it would then move nearly west-southwestwards and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanniyakumari and Pamban around the early morning of December 4.

Under the influence of the above system:i) Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls very likely over south Tamilnadu (Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Ramanathapuram and Sivagangai) on 2nd and 3rd December 2020 and over south Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzah) on 3rd December. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over south Kerala on 2nd & 4th December 2020; isolated heavy rainfall over south Tamil Nadu on 1st, 4th & 5th December and over south Kerala on 5th December 2020.

ii) Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north Tamilnadu, Puducherry & Karaikal and north Kerala & Mahe on 2nd & 3rd December; isolated heavy rainfall likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu on 1st December and over north Kerala & Mahe on 4th December.

iii) Heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over Lakshadweep during 3rd and 4th December; heavy rainfall at isolated places likely over south coastal Andhra Pradesh during 2nd & 3rd December, over Rayalaseema on 3rd December and over Lakshadweep on 5th December 2020.

Fishermen are advised not to venture into southeast Bay of Bengal during 1st December, the southwest Bay of Bengal and along & off east Sri Lanka coast from till December 3; Comorin Area, Gulf of Mannar and south Tamilnadu-Kerala coasts from December 2-4, over Lakshadweep-Maldives area and adjoining the southeast the Arabian Sea from 3rd to 4th December. Fishermen out at Sea are advised to return to the coast by today. Total suspension of fishing operation during December 1-4 over these areas.

The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) on Tuesday reviewed the situation evolving in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep where heavy to very heavy rains are expected in view of a deep depression emerging along the coastline. At a meeting, the NCMC, headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, also took note of the advisory given to fishermen and deployment of rescue teams.

In view of the deep depression emerging along the southern coast of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the cabinet secretary chaired the NCMC meeting through video conferencing with the chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the advisor Lakshadweep and secretaries of different ministries, an official statement said.

The director-general of the India Meteorological Department informed that winds of different speed during the deep depression are likely to affect the coast of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Lakshadweep with heavy to very heavy rainfall between December 2 and 4. He mentioned that as of now, it is likely to cause damage to crops and some essential services.

The chief secretaries of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Advisor, Lakshadweep briefed the NCMC about their preparedness and arrangements by District Disaster Management Committees in the districts concerned, warning to fishermen and deployment of rescue teams. The Director-General of the National Disaster Response Force informed the meeting that the necessary teams have been positioned in these areas and the remaining teams have been kept on stand-by across Tamil Nadu.

The secretaries from the ministries of Civil Aviation, Telecommunication, Power, Home, NDMA and the representative of Ministry of Defence also briefed the NCMC about their preparedness. The cabinet secretary asked the state governments and central ministries to ensure that all necessary actions are taken to ensure that damage is minimum and necessary preparations are made to restore essential services at the earliest, the statement said.