THOOTHUKUDI: The district administration is on its toes to ensure safety of the public in low-lying areas as cyclonic storm Burevi lay centred over southwest Bay of Bengal about 420 km east-southeast of Pamban and is moving west-northwestwards. VO Chidambaranar port has raised "Danger signal number VI", which means the cyclone is likely to cross the coast keeping the port to its right.
The district administration has identified over 36 vulnerable areas where interdepartmental groups comprising revenue, police, fire and rescue personnel and other officials will maintain a close vigil. Apart from interdepartmental groups, first responders comprising volunteers and self-help groups are in place to evacuate people stranded in low-lying areas.
In view of the cyclone warning, fishermen across the district had stayed on shore mooring their vessels and boats. At least 4500 country craft boats and 420 mechanised vessels had been moored on shore. The fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea until further information.
Gunasekaran, a fisherman from Vembar, said they have pulled the country and fibre boats into the beaches in order to avoid damage during the cyclone.
The district administration has deployed National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel and first responders across the low-lying areas for immediate rescue measures. Over 30,000 sand bags are ready to plug in at breaches in tanks and ponds, district collector Dr Senthil Raj said.
The corporation and electricity board staff began trimming trees close to transformers and electricity poles to avert damage ahead of the cyclonic warning as a precautionary measure.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department's weather forecast bulletin released at 08.30 am on Wednesday, the cyclonic storm Burevi over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph during the past six hours and lay centered over southwest Bay of Bengal about 200 km east of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 420 km east-southeast of Pamban (India) and 600 km nearly east-northeast of Kanyakumari (India).
It is very likely to intensify further during the next 12 hours. It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross the Sri Lanka coast north of Trincomalee during the evening/night of Wednesday as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph. It is very likely to move nearly west-northwestwards thereafter and emerge into the Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area on Thursday morning.
The cyclonic storm with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph would be centred very close to Pamban around noon on Thursday. It would then move nearly west-southwestwards very close to the coast slowly and cross the south Tamil Nadu coast between Kanyakumari and Pamban during Thursday night and Friday morning as a cyclonic storm with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph.
Thus its impact on south Tamil Nadu coastal districts is very likely to commence from Thursday forenoon initially over Ramanathapuram district and gradually towards Kanyakumari district.
Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 kmph gusting to 65 kmph is very likely over Comorin area, Gulf of Mannar and along and off the southern Tamil Nadu coast including Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts, besides the south Kerala coast including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha districts.
It will gradually increase becoming 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph from Wednesday evening (December 2) and 70-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph from Thursday forenoon (December 3) for the subsequent 24 hours and decrease thereafter, according to the weather forecast.