Cyclone Burevi has weakened into a deep depression and will cross the Tamil Nadu coast on the morning of December 4, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday. The IMD had earlier predicted that Burevi, which crossed the Sri Lanka coast on Wednesday night, would hit the Tamil Nadu coast as a cyclonic storm.

Deep depression is a stage of cyclone formation or de-intensification. "Cyclonic storm Burevi over Gulf of Mannar weakened into a deep depression on 3rd December and is close to Ramanathapuram district coast, about 20 kilometres southwest of Pamban and 210 km east-northeast of Kanyakumari," the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said this evening.

The associated wind speed is about 55-65 kmph, gusting up to 75 kmph, it added. The deep depression would move west-southwestwards and cross Ramanathapuram and Thoothukudi districts between Thursday night and Friday early morning with a wind speed of 50-60 kmph, gusting up to 70 kmph.

It is also very likely to further weaken into a depression (with a wind speed of 40-50 kmph, gusting up to 60 kmph) by Friday. The IMD has already issued a red alert for south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala.

IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said south Tamil Nadu had received deficient rainfall and this weather system is expected to help reduce the gap. Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India receive rain due to the northeast monsoon from October to December. The formation of cyclones in the Bay of Bengal during this period is also a common occurrence.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into southwest Bay of Bengal and along and off east Sri Lanka coast on Thursday, Comorin Area, Gulf of Mannar and south Tamil Nadu-Kerala and west Sri Lanka coasts from Thursday to Friday, and over Lakshadweep-Maldives area & adjoining southeast Arabian Sea from Thursday to Saturday.

Meanwhile the state government has taken precautionary steps like setting up of relief camps in Kanniyakumari and the fishermen who had gone into the sea have been informed to reach nearby shores for safety.

The Southern Railway has announced cancellation of the Thoothukudi-Chennai and  Thoothukudi-Mysuryu trains between Thoothukudi-Madurai on Friday.

The two trains will be operated from Madurai, Southern Railways said.