Cyclone Mandous To Cross Coast Near Chennai, Rescue Teams Deployed In Tamil Nadu

Cyclone Mandous: On December 9, light to moderate rainfall is expected at most places and heavy to very heavy showers at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in north coastal Tamil Nadu,

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in Tamil Nadu as cyclonic storm 'Mandous' over Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm soon and then weaken gradually and cross the coast near here on December 9 midnight, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.

The Tamil Nadu government said 12 teams -- comprising nearly 400 personnel from the National Disaster Response Force and the State force -- have been deployed in 10 districts including Nagapattinam and Thanjavur in the Cauvery delta region, Chennai, its three neighbouring districts and Cuddalore. A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges on Friday.

In an updated bulletin, the IMD said the cyclonic storm 'Mandous' (pronounced as 'Man-dous') over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved further and it is about 480 km off east south east of Chennai and 390 km from Kariakal.

On December 9, light to moderate rainfall is expected at most places and heavy to very heavy showers at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places in north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry. Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in adjoining south coastal Andhra Pradesh and north interior Tamil Nadu and Rayalaseema. Following the land fall, the rainfall is set to recede.