With Cyclone Mandous expected on Friday, the Tamil Nadu government on Thursday declared a holiday for schools and colleges in eight districts of the state that day.
Schools and colleges in Chennai, Cuddalore, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Villupuram, and Vellore will remain closed on December 9 due to the cyclone and heavy rains. Strong winds are expected in the north Tamil Nadu coast and in Puducherry and Sri Harikota around Mahabalipuram on December 9 at midnight.
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The winds are likely to turn into a severe storm by December 8's evening and maintain their intensity till December 9's morning. The storm is likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm and cross North Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts with a wind speed of 85 kmph around Friday midnight.
According to Weather Department, heavy rains may begin in Delta districts on Thursday evening and the IMD said that the rain intensity may peak on Friday night as the cyclone gets closer to the coast.
Chennai will have heavy rains on December 9 and 10 with rains expected to be around 20cm. The Weather Department said that rains will be extremely heavy in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram districts, and a red alert was declared in the three districts.
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In an updated bulletin, the IMD said the cyclonic storm 'Mandous' (pronounced as 'Man-dous') over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved further and it is about 480 km off the east southeast of Chennai and 390 km from Kariakal.
On December 9, light to moderate rainfall is expected at most places and heavy to very heavy showers at a few places, and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh and north interior Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema. Following the landfall, the rainfall is set to recede.
