Tamil Nadu: New cyclone 'Phethai' expected to be as severe as Gaja
CHENNAI: It is not just another cyclone, as per the weather conditions prevailing in the Bay of Bengal, met department is predicting a severe cyclonic system with surface wind speed for 120 kmph. It would be an equivalent of Gaja cyclone, the recent cyclone that has left a trail of destruction in the central districts of Tamil Nadu.
The sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough and the deep sea fishermen have been advised to immediately return coast.
Sources in the State fisheries department said that weather warning issued by IMD was conveyed to all fishermen associations, cooperative societies. Issuance of fishing token has been stopped from Wednesday. "All boats who were out in sea were alerted to come to nearest harbour for safe berthing. As on Thursday, all boats, except 321 deep sea fishing vessels, from Chennai have reached harbours. The 321 vessels are still in sea about 150 nautical miles off Vizag and Krishnappattinam Coast and are safe. They are sailing towards nearest harbours," an official in the fisheries department said.
He said help of Indian Coast Guard and Navy was sought and preventive sorties for alerting the fishing boats was done. "An officer from our fisheries department has been deputed to Krishnapattinam to coordinate with Andhra fisheries," the official said.