CHENNAI: Chennai seems to be off the hook, as far as serious damage from Cyclone Nivar goes. The very severe cyclonic storm, which kept everyone waiting with bated breath, began making landfall at around 10.30pm on Wednesday night.
The slow-moving storm is likely to cross the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast 30 km north of Puducherry at around 2 am on Thursday.
Chennai along with the delta region, which was badly hit by Cyclone Gaja in 2018, have been spared as they are not falling in the direct path of the cyclone, although Nivar initially threatened to have an adverse impact. Still, under the influence of the weather system, Chennai has received a copious amount of rainfall, recording over 30cm of rainfall in the past three days.
On Wednesday, scattered heavy to very heavy rain was recorded over Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Mayiladuthurai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurchi, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
The last update from the regional meteorological centre (RMC) issued at 11.15 pm showed that the storm was located 50 km east-northeast of Cuddalore, 40 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 115 km south of Chennai. S Balachandran, deputy director-general of meteorology of RMC, told reporters that it would take three hours for the eye of the cyclone to cross the coast and reach the land. The wind speed of 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph can be felt. Cuddalore has received the highest rainfall of 169 mm from 8.30 am to 10.30 pm, while Puducherry received 149 mm of rain.
"Even after landfall, the system is likely to maintain its intensity for about six hours and weaken gradually. Under its influence, heavy rainfall is likely to occur over Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur and Vellore districts of Tamil Nadu and Chittoor, Kurnool, Prakasam and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh on November 26," he said.
There is expected to be some damage over Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur and Vellore districts of Tamil Nadu and Chittoor, Kurnool, Prakasam and Kadapa districts of Andhra Pradesh.