Cyclone Nilam brings downpour in Tamil Nadu

Cyclonic storm 'Nilam' on Tuesday brought heavy rains in several parts of North Tamil Nadu, affecting normal life.

As the deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into the cyclone and remained practically stationary, centred at about 450 kms south-southeast of Chennai and 130 kms north-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka, the city and several parts of the state experienced incessant rains since morning.

The storm is expected to cross the coast between Cuddalore in the state and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh tomorrow.

The system would move north-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Cuddalore and Nellore near Chennai by tomorrow evening, an update issued by the Met office said.

The rains today badly hit life in the city inundating low-lying areas and affecting traffic while educational institutions remained closed. The state government has declared a holiday for schools and colleges in coastal districts for tomorrow.

Under the influence of the cyclone, isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall would occur over coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during the next 12 hours, the MeT office said.

The intensity of rainfall would increase thereafter with scattered heavy to very heavy rainfall and isolated extremely heavy rainfall (25 cm or more) for subsequent 24 hours.

"Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph would prevail along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 12 hours," the weather office said, adding that wind speed would gradually increase as the system comes closer to the coast.

Sea condition will be very rough to high along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next 48 hours. Fishers in these areas have been advised not to venture into the sea.

The weather office also forecast storm surge of about 1-1.5 metres over the astronomical tide which is likely to inundate low-lying areas of Chennai, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur in Tamil Nadu and Nellore district of AP.

Danger signals ranging between five and seven have been hoisted in ports in Chennai and elsewhere in the state, it said.