The recent strong cyclone Phethai to cross the coast near Chennai on 16th December
Posted on: 14/Dec/2018 11:52:53 AM
The recent cyclone Phethai, formed over the Bay of Bengal is transforming into a severe cyclone. This is expected to cross the coast between Chennai and Visakhapatnam during the night session of day-after-tomorrow (Sunday, 16th December).
Cyclone Phethai is likely to cause severe damage in the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, and Kanchipuram.
During this current year, with the onset of the northeast monsoon rainy season, it rained for a few days. Then, a low-pressure zone developed and there was subsequent rain in the southern and delta districts of Tamil Nadu.
Following this, the cyclone Gaja formed and crossed the coast at Vedaranyam on 16th November after causing severe damage in the delta districts. The residents of the affected districts of Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, and Pudhukkottai are still not to return to the normal life mode!
Subsequently, a low-pressure zone formed over the Indian Ocean on 9th December drifted towards the northwest and transformed into a high-level depression zone. The weather bureau has estimated that this will intensify further and would have transformed into a severe cyclonic format early morning today (Friday, 14th December). The cyclone has been named by Thailand as ‘Phethai’. This cyclonic format has been drifting at a speed of 10 kmph towards the coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra. It is expected to cross the coast before midnight on 16th December between Chennai and Visakhapatnam.
During this period, there are prospects of very heavy rains in the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Villupuram, Pudhucherry, etc., with cyclonic wind speeds of 110 kmph.
Trees, electric towers, and mobile phone towers may be affected severely. Hence, the Chennai Meteorological Centre has sent a letter to the state government of Tamil Nadu to take all precautionary initiatives against the damage to be caused by the cyclone.
The Director of the Chennai Meteorological Centre, Balachandran, explained that the recently formed low-pressure zone over the Bay of Bengal will transform into a cyclone today (14th December). This would cross the coast between the northern districts of Tamil Nadu and South Andhra.
So, there are prospects of widespread rains in the northern Tamil Nadu districts for 2 days from tomorrow (15th and 16th December). There may be heavy rains in a few areas and very heavy rains in a few areas. So, it has been strongly advised that all the important data/documents preserved/kept in all the government and government-aided schools, and those kept in the offices of the Primary Education Officers in the districts.
