Nivar is expected to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on Wednesday evening as a severe cyclonic storm. Image: Twitter/@Indiametdept

Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 24

Nivar is expected to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on Wednesday evening as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph, the IMD has said.

"Nivar has been practically stationary over southwest Bay of Bengal during the past three hours and lay centred at 0830 hrs of November 24 over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 10.0°N and longitude 83.0°E, about 410 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 450 km southeast of Chennai," the latest bulletin said.

It is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours. It will move west-northwestwards for the next 12 hours and then northwestwards. It is very likely to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry on Wednesday evening as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.

Under its influence, “fairly widespread to widespread rainfall/thunderstorm activity can be expected over Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal between November 24 and 26 and over south Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalaseema and Telangana during November 25 and 26,” said the IMD.

The cyclone will speed up to 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph over the southwest Bay of Bengal along and off coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Myladuthurai, Cuddalore, Puducherry, Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts) and 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph over adjoining west-central Bay along and off South Andhra Pradesh (Nellore and Prakasham districts)

Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are on high alert.

The tidal wave of about one-meter height above the astronomical tide is very likely to inundate the low lying areas near the place of landfall. Fishermen have been advised not to venture out and major damage is expected to thatched houses/ huts, power and communication lines, trees, coastal crops, banana and papaya trees, horticulture and orchards.