Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh & Puducherry brace for cyclone Nivar   

Severe cyclonic storm Nivar is expected to make landfall along the Tamil Nadu coast and Puducherry coast on November 25. India Meteorological Department has forecast heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal. The IMD said a storm surge of about 2m above the sea level is likely around the time of landfall. The IMD has also forecast heavy rainfall at isolated places in coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The IMD has issued a red alert for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, while a yellow alert has been issued for coastal Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. According to the reports, northern districts in Tamil Nadu could experience rainfall more than 24 cm on November 23.

The IMD has suggested complete suspension of fishing activity in the west-southwest regions of the Bay of Bengal till November 25. Fishermen have been advised to not venture into the sea during the next three days. Temporary houses and huts could suffer damage. Power and communication lines, trees could be uprooted. Standing crops could be hit due to the saline water carried landwards by the cyclone. The Regional Meteorological Centre has forecast wind speeds to be in the range of 100-110km an hour.

The Tamil Nadu government has rolled out many precautionary measures which included the suspension of bus services in 7 districts - Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, and Chengalpattu from 1 p.m., on Tuesday until further orders. The government has appealed to the people in these districts not to go out on November 24 and 25 as there are chances of fall of trees.

Besides, the state government has announced helpline numbers for emergency use.

Cyclone Nivar will be the second Severe Cyclone of the year in the Bay of Bengal following Cyclone Amphan in May. This is the second cyclone to cross Tamil Nadu after Cyclone Gaja which hit the state in 2018.