Mandous likely to reach TN coast by December 8: RMC

The depression formed over southwest Bay of Bengal on Tuesday will intensify further gradually into a cyclone on Wednesday evening. The cyclonic storm Mandous is likely to reach north Tamil Nadu — Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast by December 8. And, it will continue to move west—northwestwards towards the same region during subsequent 48 hours.

The Regional Meteorological Center (RMC) stated that the heavy rainfall is likely to intensify from Thursday over north coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai and Nagapattinam.

The center issued a red alert for several districts – Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvannamalai, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam predicting extremely heavy rain on December 9. And, heavy rain is likely to occur at isolated places over Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Pudukkottai, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram districts.

“Due to the cyclonic storm, strong wind is expected to reach at a speed of 50 kmph to 60 kmph over northern parts of coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal from morning from Thursday. The wind speed is likely to increase gradually from 60 kmph to 70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph during the evening hours till December 10. Also, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea in the mentioned regions,” said S Balachandran, Deputy Director- General of Meteorology, RMC.