CYCLONE NADA TO CROSS TAMIL NADU COAST- “HEAVY RAINFALL” IN TAMIL NADU

നാഡ ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റിന്റെ ശക്തി കുറഞ്ഞു;

തമിഴ്‌നാട്ടില്‍ കനത്ത മഴ.

A depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm and cross the north Tamil Nadu coast early on 2 December, bringing heavy rainfall in its wake, the weather office said on Wednesday.The cyclonic storm has been named Nada, S Balachandran, Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, told reporters.

The weather office said the depression over southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards and intensified into a deep depression and lay centred about 830 km of southeast Chennai, 780 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 490 km east-southeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka.

"The system is very likely to continue to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a cyclonic storm [Nada] during next 12 hours. It is very likely to cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Vedaranyam and Chennai close to Cuddalore by early hours of 2 December," it said.In its warning, the weather office forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on 1 and 2 December.

"Squally winds would commence to prevail along and off Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts from 1 December morning," it said and asked fishermen not to venture into the sea.Those out in the sea were advised to return immediately.

In the next 24 hours in Tamil Nadu beginning 0830 hrs on Wednesday, rains will commence along coastal parts and gradually move to inner districts, Balachandran said.

In Chennai, rains are expected to start early Thursday morning and intensify gradually, he said, adding, spells of heavy to very heavy rain are likely in the city.Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) held a review meeting with Tamil Nadu government officials, including Chief Secretary P Ramamohana Rao on the preparedness to face the impact of the north east monsoon.NDMA member Lt.Gen. N C Marwah, visited Chennai on 29 and 30 November to "review the preparedness measures undertaken by Government of Tamil Nadu to meet the impact of North East Monsoon," a state government release said.Commissioner of Revenue Administration K Satyagopal made a detailed presentation on various preventive and mitigation measures undertaken and preparedness measures carried out by the state government, it said.

He also explained new initiatives taken by the state government such as vulnerability mapping and analysis, formation of Inter Departmental Zonal Teams in vulnerable areas, Institutional arrangements, restoration of water bodies and water courses and community participation, it added.Marwah also held detailed discussions with Rao in a meeting attended by other senior officials including Revenue Secretary B Chandramohan.

He "conveyed his appreciation and satisfaction over the initiatives taken by the Government of Tamil Nadu based on the experience gained during flooding in the state during 2015," the release added.Chennai and its suburbs in neighbouring Kancheepuram and Tiruvallore districts witnessed record rainfalls in the first week of December last year, resulting in a deluge.Cuddalore District administration said elaborate precautionary measures had been taken to meet any eventuality in view of the cyclone expected to cross the district coast.Officials of all departments had been put on high alert, District Collector TP Rajesh told reporters in Cuddalore.

The district had been divided into 79 zones and each of it would be assigned to a 21-member team of officials who would oversee relief works.VHF network based walkie-talkies had been given to 1,728 safety officials and cyclone shelters kept ready in 51 fishing villages to accommodate people, he said.Protected drinking water mixed with chlorine had been filled in all overhead tanks across the district.All rivers flowing through and tanks and ponds in the district had already been desilted utilising Rs 179 crore sanctioned by the state government and Rs 30.77 crore contributed by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) to gear up for meeting this year's monsoon, the Collector said.

ബംഗാള്‍ ഉള്‍ക്കടലില്‍ ന്യൂനമര്‍ദത്തെ തുടര്‍ന്ന് രൂപപ്പെട്ട് ചെന്നൈ തീരത്തേയ്ക്ക് നീങ്ങിയ നാഡ ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റിന്റെ ശക്തി കുറഞ്ഞതായി റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ട്. തമിഴ്‌നാടിന്റെ വിവിധ ഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍ കനത്തമഴ തുടരുകയാണ്. നാഗപട്ടണം, വേദാരണ്യം എന്നിവിടങ്ങളിലാണ് നാഡ മണ്ണിടിച്ചിലും ഉരുള്‍പൊട്ടലും ഉള്‍പ്പെടെയുള്ള നാശനഷ്ടങ്ങള്‍ നാഡ വരുത്തിവച്ചത്.

അതേസമയം, പ്രതീക്ഷിച്ചത്ര നാശനഷ്ടങ്ങള്‍ വരുത്തിയിട്ടില്ല എന്നത് ആശ്വാസകരമാണ്. ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റ് സംബന്ധിച്ച റിപ്പോര്‍ട്ടുകളെ തുടര്‍ന്ന് തമിഴ്‌നാട്ടിലെ വിദ്യാഭ്യാസ സ്ഥാപനങ്ങള്‍ക്ക് അവധി നല്‍കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റിനെ നേരിടാന്‍ ആവശ്യമായ മുന്‍കരുതലുകള്‍ സ്വീകരിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ടെന്ന് റവന്യൂമന്ത്രി ആര്‍.ബി ഉദയകുമാര്‍ പറഞ്ഞു. അനിഷ്ട സംഭവങ്ങള്‍ മുന്നില്‍കണ്ട് വൈദ്യുത വകുപ്പും ജാഗ്രത പാലിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്.

Prof. John Kurakar