According to the bulletin released by the IMD at 4.30pm on Wednesday, Cyclone Nivar has moved at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour for the last six hours.
As Chennai continues to witness heavy rains accompanied by strong winds, the Chennai traffic police have decided to close all major routes in different areas of the city. Roads will be closed until further notice to facilitate rescue and relief operations.
This includes the Kamarajar Highway by Marian Beach, the East Coast Highway (ECR), the Old Mahabalipuram Highway (OMR), and the Ennore Express Highway.
Severe Cyclonic Storm Nivar has intensified into Very Severe Cyclonic Storm (VSCS) and is currently located about 90 kilometers from Cuddalore, 150 kilometers from Puducherry and 220 kilometers from Chennai, according to the latest bulletin issued by the Indian Meteorological Department. (IM D). The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on November 25 at midnight or in the early hours of November 26.
According to the bulletin released by the IMD at 4.30pm on Wednesday, Cyclone Nivar has been moving at a speed of 16 kilometers per hour for the last six hours, as recorded at 2.30pm on Wednesday. “It is very likely to move to the northwest and cross the shores of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry during the midnight of the 25 and the early hours of November 26, 2020 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a speed winds of 120-130 km / h with gusts to 145 kmph ”, said the bulletin.
The bulletin also added that the cyclone system is likely to maintain its intensity for about six hours after its landfall before gradually weakening. IMD has forecast extremely heavy isolated rains in Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore de Tamilnadu and Chittoor, Kurnool, Prakasam districts; Cuddapah districts of Andhra Pradesh and adjacent to the southeast of Telangana on November 26. The meteorological agency also forecast heavy to very heavy rains in isolated locations in the remaining districts of northern interior Tamilnadu, southern Andhra Pradesh and southeast Telangana.
Here are the latest updates on #CycloneNivar
With landfall scheduled for late Thursday night, the government has decided to declare a public holiday in 16 districts of the state on November 26.
This includes the districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Thiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chennai, Chengalpattu, Thiruvallur, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurichi, Villupuram, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, and Nagapattinam.
The TN government has ordered that all of its offices, including local agencies, government companies, corporations, boards, banks, financial institutions, etc., remain closed. However, essential services can function as usual.
The Chennai airport has suspended operations from 7pm on Wednesday to 7am on Thursday. The decision has been made with passenger safety in mind.
The Army has deployed 14 rescue teams to Tamil Nadu to intervene if necessary.
Chennai metro rail services will be suspended at 8pm on Wednesday. The last trains from all terminals will leave at 7pm. Thursday services will be announced based on weather conditions.
30,000 people have been evacuated from Tamil Nadu and 7,000 people have been evacuated from Puducherry.
#Thread | Updates on #CycloneNivar from Tamil Nadu: #IM D says it will likely make landfall between Karaikkal in Puducherry and Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu sometime between the night of November 25 and the early hours of November 26. https://t.co/R4GancTKLA
– The news minute (@thenewsminute) November 25, 2020
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