With the meteorological department issuing a warning of cyclonic storm, schools and colleges in Chennai are remained closed on Tuesday.

The depression off the coast in Bay of Bengal intensified on Monday. Heavy rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu. Weather­men say the cyclonic storm is predicted for Tuesday and it might cross between Nagapattinam and Nellore. However, weather models predict that ‘Cyclone Nilam’ would cross the coast over south Chennai on Wednesday. The met office has declared local cautionary warning 3 for all ports in the state and fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea.

Unlike Cyclone Thane that was more wind-based, Nilam would bring more rain to Tamil Nadu. The deep depression currently follows the route taken by an October 28, 1991 depression starting from central Bay of Bengal westwards into Tamil Nadu. “It will be too premature to narrow down our prediction of the cyclonic storm’s path. At present, we expect the deep depression to turn into a cyclonic storm,” said Dr Y.E.A. Raj, dep­uty director general of Me­t­eorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai.

He added that the predicted cyclone would not be as intense as Thane. “The vertical wind shear is very high and, so, it will not allow the storm to get intense. Further, it will encounter land mass in Sri Lanka and the system would get scaled down further,” Dr Raj explained the reasons for the lesser intensity.

Area Cyclone Warning Centre director, Dr S.R. Ramanan, said the deep depression lies 500 km southwest of Chennai and 130 km northeast of Trincomalee. “The coas­tal districts will receive widespread rainfall, wh­ile it will be fairly widespread in the interior districts,” he added. He not­ed that the rainfall intensity would increase from October 30 and there cou­ld even be squally winds reaching 65 kmph.

Even global weather we­b­sites like www.wunderground.com have predicted tropical cyclone category 2 to hit Chennai on Tuesday. The accuweather.com website predicts 147.6 mm rainfall for Che­nnai upto Wednesday. For a 24-hour period end­ed 8.30 am on Monday, Taranga­m­padi in Nagap­at­t­i­n­am received the ma­x­imum rainfall of 13 cm in Tamil Nadu, followed by Nann­ilam (10 cm).

Heavy rains pound Nagapattinam

Storm is expected to cross between Nagapattinam and Nellore, Nagapattinam district administration has geared up to face a possible onslaught.

Nagapattinam district collector T. Munusamy said a monitoring committee comprising heads of all departments convened a meeting on Sunday and launched me­a­s­ures to face the cyc­l­one. “Through the public address system, we alerted villagers in low-lying regions to move to safer places. We have set up 9 cyclone shelters in community halls and schools to accommodate displaced villagers,” collector T. Munusamy said.

The district administration has set up a 24-hour toll-free number 1077 to address cyclone related complaints. Meanwhile, the cyclone warning dome (signal one) was hoisted at Nagapattinam port. Fishermen have been advised to stay off the sea and secure their boats to safe locations.

Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to lash at various places in Nagap­a­ttinam district while wind was blowing at 45 km per hour affecting normal life. Electric and generator-based saws have been made available to ensure quick removal of felled trees. Depart­ment officials should avail their services.

The samba paddy crops raised in 27,000 hectares under direct sowing system in low-lying areas now stood submerged in the rain that had lashed for the last two days.