Cyclone Nivar: Shutters of Chembarambakkam reservoir opened

Coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry are bracing for Cyclone Nivar, which has intensified into a “severe cyclonic storm”. It is expected to intensify further and is barreling towards the southeast coast. The meteorological department alerted that the powerful cyclone is likely to hit the coast by November 25 midnight or early tomorrow on November 26.

The cyclone could hit the coast between Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu (which is around 56 km from state capital Chennai) and Karaikal in Puduchery.

The cyclone will bring extremely heavy rainfall and winds between 120 and 130 km per hour with gusts of upto 145 km per hour. The Regional Meterological Center in Chennai has advised, adding that coastal areas could receive heavy rain till tomorrow.

Chembarambakkam Lake reservoir gates are opened for first time since 2015 and the discharge is likely to increase the water flow in Chennai’s Adyar river.

More than 1,000 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Tamil Nadu. NDRF has so far deployed 30 teams across the three states, while 20 more teams have been kept on standby for immediate deployment.

About 15 districts of the three states are expected to be hit by the cyclone and a population of several thousand living in low-lying areas along the river are being evacuated.

The Tamil Nadu Government also ordered removal of all hoardings as precaution.

The Indian Navy is closely monitoring the movement of Nivar, and is in constant touch with officials of both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry governments. Naval ships, aircrafts and rescue and diving teams have been kept standby.

The coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh are also likely to be affected by the cyclone Nivar.

In May, “super cyclone” Amphan wreaked havoc on eastern India and Bangladesh in May, flattening villages, destroying farms and leaving millions without electricity.