Heavy rain lashes south India as cyclone advances

Heavy rain lashed parts of southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu Tuesday following a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal which would further intensify into a cyclonic storm, the local meteorology department said. The coastal areas have received heavy rain. The state government closed schools. Chennai, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Villupuram also received heavy rains in the morning, disrupting traffic. The cyclonic storm would cross between Nagapattinam and Nellore on Wednesday, the department said. “The deep depression over southwest Bay of Bengal moved westwards, and lay centred at 1800 UTC of on Monday over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 9.00N and longitude 82.00E, about 500 kms south-southeast of Chennai and 100 kms east-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka,” a Met Deptarment official said. “The system would intensify further into a cyclonic storm and move westwards for some more time and come very close to Sri Lanka coast and then move northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nagapattinam and Nellore by tomorrow afternoon,” he added. “Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall” up to 25 cms or more besides squally winds reaching up to 45-55 kmph of speed and gusting up to 65 kmph off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 12 hours, have been forecast. The wind speed would gradually increase thereafter as the system comes closer to coast. Sea condition will be very rough to high along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 48 hours.