Chennai: Very serious cyclonic storm Nivar created landfall close to Puducherry in the early hours of Thursday, bringing heavy rains to the union territory and neighbouring Tamil Nadu, India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials stated.
Nivar weakened into a serious cyclonic storm just after it crossed coast close to Puducherry, the IMD stated. There have been no reports of loss of life due to the cyclone which uprooted trees. Incidents of wall collapse have been reported from some components of Tamil Nadu, state Revenue Minister R B Udhayakumar stated.
Earlier, the IMD had stated Nivar will cross coast close to Puducherry with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph, gusting up to 145 kmph. The landfall of Nivar started late on Wednesday evening.
“Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: Center lies over Land. Crossed coast near Puducherry during 2330 of 25th Nov-0230 IST of 26th Nov,” the IMD stated in a tweet.
“Very severe cyclonic Storm NIVAR: weakens into a Severe Cyclonic storm,” it stated in yet another tweet.
Deputy Director General of Meteorology, Chennai, S Balachandran stated rainfall is most likely to continue in Tamil Nadu. “The storm now lies inside the land area. There will, however, be rainfall and strong winds as well,” he told PTI.
In the subsequent six hours, the serious cyclonic storm will additional weaken, he stated. Udhayakumar stated there have been no reports of loss of life or crop harm.
“There is no loss of lives due to the rains. People have given us full cooperation,” he stated. Incidents of wall collapse have been reported from a couple of areas, he stated.
“It’s a solace that nothing untoward happened and the weakening of the cyclone is good news,” he stated. The minister stated about two.five lakh people today have been housed in cyclone shelters in Tamil Nadu as element of security measures.
According to the inputs received so far, crops and groves are secure in the state, Udhayakumar told reporters. However, the circumstance would be reviewed and primarily based on its outcome, insurance coverage payout and compensation to farmers, if any, would be announced by Chief Minister K Palaniswami, he stated.
Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu recorded the highest rainfall at 24.six cm, followed by 23.7 cm in Puducherry from eight.30 PM on Wednesday till two.30 am on Thursday. Nagapattinam recorded six.three cm rainfall, Karaikal eight.six cm and Chennai eight.9 cm in the course of the similar period.
Meanwhile, income, civic and police authorities have been on their toes coordinating and removing uprooted trees utilizing heavy-duty motor gear and backhoe loaders. According to initial estimates, more than 150 trees have been uprooted in Tamil Nadu alone.
As the storm started crossing coast, the rainfall stopped briefly right here. It returned with sturdy winds in some localities close to the city and the suburban shoreline.
The strategy roads to the Marina beach, off the arterial Kamaraj Salai, have been flooded and sheets of water reached close to the major road exactly where the city’s fishermen had securely tied up their boats.
As rains lashed Mamallapuram close to right here, troops of monkeys sought refuge beneath the decorative, cave-like arches, dotted with photos of deities carved in stone at the ancient Sri Sthalasayana Perumal temple.