Gusty winds and rains lashed parts of Tamil Nadu today leaving several areas inundated and authorities have housed over one lakh people in shelters as severe cyclone "Nivar" hurtled towards the coast. Nivar would intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and it is likely to cross the coast between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry soon, the India Meteorological Department said.
With rains drenching parts of the state, authorities have evacuated over one lakh people and housed them in shelters besides disconnecting power supply in vulnerable areas as a precautionary measure.
While Chief Minister K Palaniswami declared Thursday a public holiday for 13 districts, a government order included three more districts considering the safety of people in view of the cyclone.
The Puducherry Chief Minister spoke to NDTV on Tuesday and said large gatherings had been banned and public movement prohibited from 9 PM to 6 AM Thursday. He also said non-essential shops and services had been shut; only milk booths, fuel stations, hospitals and pharmacies, and government offices will be allowed to open.
The National Disaster Response Force has earmarked a total of 50 teams -- with 30 being deployed on the ground in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh -- in view of the cyclone moving ahead from the Bay of Bengal towards the coastal areas. Twenty teams have been kept on standby at Vijaywada (Andhra Pradesh), Cuttack (Odisha) and Thrissur (Kerala).
Here are the Live Updates on Cyclone Nivar in Tamil Nadu:
Cyclone Nivar made a late-night landfall near Puducherry. The tropical storm has weakened from a "very severe cyclonic storm" to a "severe cyclonic storm" with a wind speed of 100-110 km per hour, gusting up to 120 km per hour, the weather office said in a statement. The coastal states have been bracing for the cyclone - the fifth-strongest category on India's scale of seven storm types - and more than a lakh people were evacuated from low-lying areas. Nivar has brought with it heavy rain and strong winds and forced authorities to declare a public holiday till Thursday, close the Chennai airport and metro services.
Puducherry: Centre of #CycloneNivar crossed coast near Puducherry during 11:30 pm of 25th Nov to 2:30 am of 26th Nov. It then weakened & lay as a severe cyclonic storm at 2:30 am of Nov 26. Winds in NE sector from Puducherry will gradually decrease to 65-75 kmph during next 3 hrs pic.twitter.com/pfzPJJLIYT
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
Very severe cyclonic storm Nivar now lies about 50 km east-southeast of Cuddalore, about 40 km east southeast of Puducherry.LANDFALL PROCESS CONTINUES.CENTRE OF CYCLONE TO CROSS COAST NEAR PUDUCHERRY WITHIN NEXT 3 HOURS WITH WIND SPEED OF 120-130 KMPH GUSTING TO 145 KMPH. pic.twitter.com/5SJTQexHcT
- India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 25, 2020
Landfall of #NivarCyclone will start in an hour: S Balachandran, IMD Chennai. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/v2Ar8CxcIw
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
Very severe cyclonic storm Nivar now lies about 80 km east-southeast of Cuddalore, about 85 km east southeast of Puducherry.Very likely cross tamil nadu and puducherry coasts between karaikal and mamallapuram around puducherry during mid-night of 25th midnight. pic.twitter.com/z80Be0TPyg
- India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 25, 2020
My prayers for the safety of coastal people of Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh from cyclone Nivar. Hope state govts and central govt are all equipped to handle this cyclone. All AAP volunteers should be ready to help wherever needed.
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) November 25, 2020
Southern Railways announces train diversions in view #CycloneNivar https://t.co/IHogwHqe8C pic.twitter.com/BzCNeh5VcZ
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
#WATCH: Heavy rain lashes Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu.
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
#CycloneNivar is likely to cross between Mamallapuram and Karaikal during midnight today and early hours of 26th November, as per IMD pic.twitter.com/xLAWuRaWf8
Southern Railway cancels seven trains on November 26. #CycloneNivar https://t.co/DOLKsHdEi4 pic.twitter.com/3nhWtb2OUr
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
#WATCH: Shutters of Chembarambakkam Lake opened to release water into Adyar River, in order to avert flooding. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/gztfVJgORN
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
#CycloneNivar gradually intensifying. It could cause structural damage, uprooting of trees, damage to thatched/tin houses, & damage to banana & paddy crops. There'll be strong winds & heavy rain. The most impact will be in Puducherry & Karaikal: Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG, IMD pic.twitter.com/NlwFqvl5QW
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
#WATCH Strong winds at Mamallapuram ahead of the expected landfall of #CycloneNivar between Karaikal and Mamallapuram during midnight today and early hours of 26th November#TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/reuh7Qq2C8
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
Army ready to assist govt & civil administration in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry to face #CycloneNivar, maintaining communication with officials. Twelve humanitarian assistance & disaster relief teams & two engineer task forces ready for deployment: Southern Command, Indian Army pic.twitter.com/CPiHojBap4
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
Tamil Nadu: Rain lashes Chennai as #CycloneNivar is expected to make landfall between Karaikal and Mamallapuram later today
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
Chennai/Meenambakkam received 120 mm rainfall from 0830 hours yesterday till 0530 hours today, as per India Meteorological Department pic.twitter.com/04PVft591E
Appealing to the people of Puducherry to stay indoors and move to safer places to brace the impending cyclone today. @BhallaAjay26 @AmitShah pic.twitter.com/nVDraWf1Zp
- Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) November 25, 2020
#WATCH Visuals from Mamallapuram; #CycloneNivar is likely to cross between Mamallapuram and Karaikal during midnight today and early hours of 26th November, as per IMD#TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/zOoTJKb9gA
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
The Severe Cyclonic Storm NIVAR over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 06 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST of 25th November, 2020 over southwest Bay of Bengal @ndmaindia @rajeevan61 pic.twitter.com/B7MXWImDso
- India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 25, 2020
cyclonic storm NIVAR intensified into a Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centred at 2330 hrs IST of 24 th November, 2020 over southwest Bay of Bengal. It is about 310 km of Cuddalore. It is very likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. pic.twitter.com/k7cgd4cJPb
- India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) November 24, 2020
#WATCH Sea rough in Puducherry as severe cyclonic storm #NIVAR to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram tonight pic.twitter.com/d6Wpkj6zwe
- ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020