Summary:
New Delhi: Cyclone Nivar, which will likely become a "very severe cyclonic storm", is expected to make landfall this evening between Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu (which is around 56 km from the state capital Chennai) and Karaikal in Puducherry.
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New Delhi: Cyclone Nivar, which will likely become a "very severe cyclonic storm", is expected to make landfall this evening between Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu (which is around 56 km from the state capital Chennai) and Karaikal in Puducherry.
Nivar will bring extremely heavy rainfall and winds between 120 and 130 km per hour, with gusts of up to 145 km per hour, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has advised, adding that coastal areas could receive heavy rains till Thursday.
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.
Around 1,200 National Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh as well, NDRF chief SN Pradhan told PTI.
12 teams are in Tamil Nadu (six in Cuddalore district and two in Chennai), seven in Andhra Pradesh and three in Puducherry.
An additional 20 teams will be on standby in Odisha`s Cuttack, Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh and Thrissur in Kerala.
Cyclone Nivar, Weather Forecast November 23, 24 Highlights: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said the severe cyclonic storm Nivar over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 6 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST over southwest Bay of Bengal.