Cyclonic storm ‘Gati’ is likely to move towards the coast of Tamil Nadu in 24 hours, ANI reported on Monday, citing the India Meteorological Department.
IMD Chennai Deputy Director S Balachandran told the news agency that the “well-marked low pressure” over southwest Bay of Bengal was likely to intensify into the storm. “It’s likely to cross between Karaikal [in Puducherry] and Mamallapuram [in Tamil Nadu] by November 25 afternoon,” the official added.
Heavy rain is likely in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Cuddalore districts from Tuesday, The Hindu reported.
The Regional Meteorological Office in Chennai said that stormy weather conditions may arise along the coast from Monday. The wind speed is likely to touch 80 to 90 kilometres per hour along and off the coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on Wednesday.
Six teams of the National Disaster Response Force left for Cuddalore after the cyclone alert was issued.
Unidentified officials from the Public Works Department in Chennai, meanwhile, told The Hindu that they were monitoring reservoirs and tanks near the city and taking precautionary measures.
The IMD advised fishermen against venturing into the sea between November 22 and 25, in view of turbulent weather forecasts.
On Sunday, the weather department had said that the “very severe” cyclonic storm Gati, which was the situated over the South West Arabian Sea, had moved towards the West.
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