30-Nov-2024 11:30 PM
8419
Chennai, Nov 30 (Reporter) The Cyclonic Storm Fengal will completely cross the coast
in the next two hours, Met office said tonight, even as it has claimed three lives in
Chennai city.
According to Tamil Nadu Minister KKSSR Ramachandran three people died of
electrocution in the city and Chief Minister M K Stalin will announce solatium to
their families.
In the meantime, Mr Stalin announced Rs five lakh solatium to the family of one
of the victims, Sakthivel (47) of Velacherry, who died after he came into contact
with a live wire that got snapped due to gusty winds.
In an update, Met office said the Cyclonic Storm “Fengal (pronounced as FEINJAL)
over Southwest of Bengal moved west-southwestwards with a speed of 10 kmph
during the past six hours and lay centered at 2130 hours today over the southwest
Bay of Bengal close to North Tamil Nadu coasts and close to southwest of
Mahabalipuram, 30 km northeast of southwest of Chennai.
It started crossing the coast at 1730 hrs.
Since the observations were made based on 2130 hrs update, the landfall is expected
to be completed by 2330 hrs.
Latest observations indicate that the forward sector of spiral bands of the cyclone has
entered further inside the land.
It is likely to move west-southwestwards and cross North Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts
between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm with a
wind speed of 70-80 kmph and gusting to 90 kmph during the next 2 hours.
The landfall process will continue during the same period.
Moderate to intense spells of rain is very likely at isolated places over Tiruvannamalai,
Kallakurichi, Villupuram and Cuddalore districts of Tamilnadu and Puducherry till
0100 hrs.
Moderate rain is very likely at isolated places over Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kanchipuram,
Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupathur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Tiruppur, Erode,
Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchirapalli, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvarur and
Thanjavur districts of Tamilnadu and Karaikal area during the same period.
The system is being continuously monitored by the Doppler Weather Radar Chennai.
Of all the cyclones in the past, only Fengal has stayed for a longer duration in the Bay
before crossing the coast making it difficult to gauge its movement and tracking its trajectory.
As the system started crossing, rains have abated in Chennai city, but strong winds prevailed especially near the beach fronts in and around Chennai, including at Marina and Elliots beach...////...