Severe cyclonic storm Nivar to hit coasts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts of the severe cyclonic storm Nivar to make landfall on Wednesday. The Indian Army is readying to deploy twelve humanitarian aid and disaster relief teams and two engineer task forces to support government and civil administration in the regions, as reported by ANI.

According to IMD's Wednesday bulletin, the storm is headed west- northwestwards and is expected to cross between Mamallapuram in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal in Puducherry on Wednesday evening or early hours of Thursday. The typhonic storm sustained maximum winds of 120 - 130 km/h near the centre and gustiness of up to 145 km/h, and has been moving west- northwestwards at the speed of 7 km/h.

The Regional Meteorological Centre of Chennai has issued warnings of heavy rainfall, strong winds, and expected damage over coastal regions of Tamilnadu and Karaikal and Puducherry. The centre has also cautioned fishermen and issued storm surge warnings.

Some parts of Chennai witnessed water logging due to heavy rainfalls ahead of Nivar's arrival, ANI reported.

The deep depression felt over southwest Bay of Bengal on Monday evening intensified to a severe typhoonic storm as on Tuesday morning, and will further strengthen over the next 12 hours.