Cyclone Mandous: Strong Winds, Rainfall in Chennai & Nearby Areas; Landfall Process Begins

Strong winds have already started in Chennai and nearby areas at a speed of 50-60km/h. Landfall process has begun. Rainfall and high-speed winds will continue: S Balachandran, Dy DG of Meteorology, Regional Metrology Centre to ANI

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin leaves from the State Emergency Operation Centre at Chepauk, after concluding a meeting with Revenue & Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran and other senior officials of the Disaster Management Department, in view of cyclone Mandous

Cyclone Mandous is very likely to move nearly northwestwards and cross north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph during midnight of today, the 09th December to early hours of tomorrow, the 10th December, according to the IMD.

Cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ over the Bay of Bengal will hit the coast between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh around December 9 night and early next day. As the state government including Puducherry reviews preparations, heavy rains continued to lash Tamil Nadu under the influence of the cyclonic storm. READ MORE

Severe cyclonic storm Mandous will cross the coast between north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh around December 9 night and early next day, the regional weather office said on Friday. Parts of Tamil Nadu witnessed rains under the influence of the system in the Bay of Bengal,  including here. READ MORE

• Intense spells of rain with thunderstorm and lightning is likely to occur at a few places over Thiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu and Kancheepuram districts of Tamilnadu during next three hours.
• Moderate rain is likely to occur at few places over Villupuram, Cuddalore,Thiruvannamalai, Kallakkurichi, Ranippettai, Vellore, Thiruppur, Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Theni, Tenkasi and Virudhunagar districts of Tamilnadu, and Puducherry during next three hours.
• Light to Moderate rain is likely to occur at a few places over Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Thirunelveli, Kanyakumari Tiruppattar, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Thiruchirapalli, Karur, Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Dindigul, Madurai and Sivagangai  districts of Tamilnadu and Karaikal during next three hours.

Puducherry Home and Education Minister A Namassivayam said in a release that the government took note of the warning issued by the IMD that a strong cyclone would hit Puducherry and Karaikal regions under the influence of the storm in the Bay of Bengal. All schools and colleges would remain closed for two days from Friday.

In view of the cyclone Mandous maintaining its intensity of ‘Severe Cyclonic Storm’ till the early morning hours today, the National Disaster Response Force team were kept on standby in Chennai, informed officials on Friday.

The IMD said Doppler weather radars are monitoring the cyclone which weakened into a cyclonic storm on December 9 after being a severe cyclonic storm for less than 24-hours and it now lay at about 260 km south-southeast of Chennai and 180 km east-northeast of Karaikal. (PTI)

Several parts of Tamil Nadu witnessed light to moderate rainfall and some places heavy showers as the cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ continued to move closer to the State’s coastline, and it is set to cross coast near here starting midnight, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday. Under the influence of the cyclonic storm, several areas in Chennai witnessed heavy rainfall (including Nungambakkam–7 CM) and it was light to moderate in other regions. (PTI)

State buses will run as per schedule and services will be stopped two hours before Cyclone Mandous is scheduled to make a landfall at midnight, as per an official release.

People have been advised to avoid travel unless necessary during that time.