The Northeast monsoon’s first cyclone in 2012, ‘Neelam’, might strike Tamil Nadu this week and the Met office has already issued warnings to ports and fishermen.
The previous cyclone, ‘Thane’ that hit the state in December 2011 had caused major damage in the coastal belt between Cuddalore and Puducherry.
After four days of subdued activity, the state is expected to receive substantial rains this week starting Monday. The trough of low pressure in the Bay of Bengal has developed into a depression and it is expected to turn into a deep depression on Monday. It might also get converted into a cyclone, warned weathermen.
“We have asked fishermen to return. Similarly the first level of caution, namely Distance Cautionary Signal One, has been issued to all ports,” said Dr Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director general of Meteorology, Regional Meteorological Centre, Chennai.
“The system lying 730 km southeast of Chennai and 550 km East of Triconmalee was declared as a depression at 11.30 am on Sunday. It is expected to move westwards and affect TN,” he added. He further said that widespread rainfall was expected over Tamil Nadu and even in peninsular Kerala, Karnataka and Rayalaseema regions