Chennai: The threat of cyclone ‘Mandous’ is looming in the southern part of the country. The cyclone is likely to hit the Chennai coast today. A red alert has been issued in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Andhra Pradesh regarding this. Today, a holiday has also been declared in schools and colleges in many districts of these states. Parks and playgrounds are also stated to remain close and fishermen have been instructed to come to the shore. The Chennai-based Regional Meteorological Center has predicted heavy rain at isolated places in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu, and Kancheepuram districts in the next three hours.
“It is very likely to maintain its intensity of Severe Cyclonic Storm till early morning of today, the 9th December and then weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm thereafter. It would continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight of today, the 09th December to early hours of 10th December”, the Meteorological Department said in an official statement.
According to the forecast of the Regional Meteorological Center, light to moderate rain is likely in Ranipettai, Vellore, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Erode, Salem. Following the Meteorological Department’s alert, 12 teams of NDRF and State Security Force have been deployed in 10 districts of Tamil Nadu. Cyclone Mandous is likely to cross Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota coast by midnight today.