Cyclone Nivar 290 km from Cuddalore, to hit Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts today

Chennai/Puducherry: Cyclone Nivar has intensified and is all set to hit Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts today.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said in its bulletin, "It is very likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during the next 12 hours".

The landfall point is going to be close to Puducherry and the weather bureau has predicted strong winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

People from low lying areas have been evacuated.

Puducherry CM Narayanasamy said that Central control room operating from the State Disaster Management Control Room will provide help to the public. They will be provided with food, water, hand sanitizer and face masks.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture out into the sea.

1,000 cusecs of water will be released from the Chembarambakkam reservoir today afternoon as the water level has reached the 22 feet-mark.

An alert has been issued to people living near the banks of Chennai's Adyar river and in low lying areas.

The cyclone, which was earlier predicted to reach 'severe cyclonic storm' at the time of landfall, is now expected to intensify into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' when it crosses Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts.

According to IMD's current tracking, the cyclone Nivar over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved west- northwestwards with a speed of 06 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST.

A statewide public holiday has been declared by Tamil Nadu CM K Palaniswami as Cyclone Nivar is expected to cross Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram region.

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