As Cyclone Fengal approaches the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, many coastal areas have experienced changes in weather, including high tides and rainfall, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported.
According to the IMD, Cyclone Fengal is expected to hit the coastal area tomorrow evening. The weather department has issued warnings for North Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts.
The IMD stated that the cyclonic storm Fengal, located over the southwest Bay of Bengal, moved north-northwestward at a speed of 7 km/h during the past six hours. As of 11:30 PM IST on November 29, it was centered over the same region near latitude 11.8°N and longitude 81.7°E, about 360 km north of Trincomalee, 230 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam, 210 km east of Puducherry, and 210 km southeast of Chennai.
The cyclone is likely to continue moving west-northwestward and cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry, as a cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 70-80 km/h, gusting to 90 km/h, during the afternoon of November 30.
Earlier, as Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall on Saturday evening, the Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre of Chennai, Dr. S. Balachandran, said on Friday that the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu would be most affected.
Dr. Balachandran told ANI, “Mostly coastal districts, with the crossing point between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram near Puducherry, will experience more impact. There will be wind and rainfall. Today, wind speeds reached 50-60 km/h, gusting to 70 km/h. Between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM, there will be extremely heavy rainfall, and at many places, there will be scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall.”
Meanwhile, Srinuvas, the Director of the Visakhapatnam Cyclone Warning Centre in Andhra Pradesh, said they had issued a warning for “extremely heavy rainfall” in the districts of Nellore, Tirupati, and Chittoor for the next 24 hours.
He added, “…The cyclone is likely to move northwest and intensify into a cyclonic storm. In the next six hours, it is expected to move northwestward and cross the North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast. Cyclone alerts have been issued for the adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu. We have issued an extremely heavy rainfall warning for the districts of Nellore, Tirupati, and Chittoor for the next 24 hours.”
Cyclone Fengal is expected to make landfall on the Tamil Nadu coast on Saturday evening, and a red alert has been issued for various parts of the southern states in anticipation of incessant rainfall, according to the IMD on Friday.
Meanwhile, the Puducherry Fisheries Department has issued an advisory for fishermen, urging them not to venture into the sea as Cyclone Fengal approaches. The advisory also instructed fishermen to move their boats and equipment to higher ground to prevent damage.
Cyclone Fengal is expected to bring heavy rainfall, strong winds, and possible flooding to Tamil Nadu’s coastal regions. Authorities have urged residents in low-lying and coastal areas to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories.
