Cyclonic storm Nilam may cross Chennai coast by Wednesday evening

[Kyusuibu Honbu]

Cyclonic storm Nilam may cross Chennai coast by Wednesday evening

The cyclonic storm, ‘Nilam,’ which remained virtually stationary on Tuesday, is bearing down on northern parts of the State and is likely to cross the coast near Chennai by Wednesday evening.

At 8-30 p.m. on Tuesday, it lay centred about 450 km south-southeast of Chennai and 130 km north-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka). The system would move north-northwestward, according to a weather bulletin.

Y.E.A.Raj, Deputy Director General of Meteorology, says it is likely to move parallel to the coast, making it difficult for weather specialists to forecast precisely.

Rainfall

As regards rainfall, Dr Raj notes that except parts of northern and central districts, about 20 districts did not receive a single cm of rainfall during the 24-hour-period that ended at 8-30 a.m.

However, the maximum of 15 cm was recorded by Kollidam in Nagapattinam, followed by 12 cm in Vedaranyam and 11 cm each in Chidambaram and Sirkali.

Anticipating heavy rainfall on Wednesday, the authorities have declared a holiday for educational institutions in coastal districts including Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur.

Even as the State administration is closely watching the storm movement, it has made adequate arrangements to meet any eventuality.

Enough stock of essential commodities is kept ready to cater to the needs of people who may require to be evacuated. Thirteen senior officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) have been deputed to the coastal districts to monitor the situation, says an official.

Death toll

Round-the-clock control rooms have been set up in all the districts and in Chennai, the room can be contacted at 1070. Since the onset of northeast monsoon on October 17, as many as 42 werekilled, including two fishermen of Nagapattinam, who died in the mid-sea on Monday.

Ramanathapuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Tiruneveli accounted for five persons each. As many as 377 head of cattle perished.

One thousand three hundred and sixty one houses were damaged, of which 260 were fully damaged.

 

[Asskicker]

Its a hell like mess near marina and enore beach.

 

[KS]

Hope no casualties take place and people heed to the evacuation instructions rather than stay put.

 

[Sashan]

The slums near the marina beach and the fishermen villages in Kasimedu and other places will be the ones which will be affected the most. Hope people stay safe.

 

[Sashan]

Cyclone Nilam spares Chennai



Storm makes landfall near Mamallapuram; rain claims four lives in Tamil Nadu

Cyclonic storm Nilam, which threatened to hit the Chennai coast, spared the city, but made landfall near Mamallapuram, about 60 km south of Chennai, on Wednesday evening.



Four persons were reported to have died during the day in different parts of the State, but a Revenue department official clarified that Kancheepuram district, where the storm crossed the coast between 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., did not report even a single death.



Nilam evoked fears of large-scale destruction among the people in coastal districts in north Tamil Nadu.



The exact details about the landfall would be known on Thursday after an assessment by the Meteorological Department, according to Y.E.A. Raj, Deputy Director General of Meteorology.



Though many areas in the northern belt received heavy rainfall on Tuesday night, the intensity was not much during the day when Nilam made the last leg of its journey. According to a bulletin issued on the basis of observations at 8-30 a.m., the storm lay centred about 260 km south southeast of Chennai, and by 6 p.m, it made landfall.



At the time of crossing the coast, Chennai recorded the maximum wind speed of 75 km per hour and Kalpakkam 65 km per hour. Hereafter, it was expected to weaken rapidly after making northwestward movement.



A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in all coastal districts, including Chennai, on Thursday.