Heavy rainfall is likely to lash the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu today and continue till tomorrow, according to IMD.
According to the Met office, cyclone Gaja is presently centred over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to cross Tamil Nadu coast on November 15 (Thursday) morning. In its latest bulletin on Tuesday evening, it said that cyclonic storm is likely to weaken and cross the coastal areas between Pamban and Cuddalore on Thursday forenoon. It said that Gaja has been moving westwards with a speed of 5 kmph in the past 6 hours. At around 5 am, Gaja was centred about 750 km east of here and 840 km east-northeast of Nagappattinam.
The storm is very likely to move west-south-westwards, IMD said, adding that it will intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm in the next 24 hours by Wednesday and maintain that intensity till Thursday.
“Cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’ is likely to make landfall tomorrow afternoon. We have formed 19 inter-departmental zonal teams. We have made arrangements to evacuate people living in the coastal areas to relief centres,” news agency ANI quoted District Collector, Cuddalore, V Anbuselvan as saying.
“All private and government schools in Cuddalore to remain closed tomorrow due to cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’,” he added.
Meanwhile, the orders have been issued to keep all schools and colleges in Rameswaram closed tomorrow.
Wind speeds could reach up to 100kmph along and off the coasts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Puducherry government Tuesday put its machinery on full alert to meet the impact of cyclone ‘Gaja’ which is expected to cross the neighbouring Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Pamban.
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