JOIN USCyclone Burevi brings rains to Tamil Nadu, Kerala; flights cancelled
After making landfall in Sri Lanka, Cyclone Burevi is on the course to emerge into Gulf of Mannar and cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban in Rameswaram and Kanyakumari by Friday morning packing wind speeds of 70 to 80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph.
Under the influence of the cyclonic storm, Chennai received heavy rains through the night while districts in southern Tamil Nadu were pounded by showers on Thursday morning. This is the second cyclone that Tamil Nadu is facing in just about a week – Cyclone Nivar which made landfall near Marakkanam in Tamil Nadu killed four persons and uprooted over 1,000 trees across the state.
Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Theni, Madurai and Sivaganga districts in Tamil Nadu and Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Alappuzha in Kerala will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall till Friday.
In its latest update, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclone Burevi lay at 30 km east north-east of Mannar, 110 km east south-east of Pamban and 310 km east north-east of Kanyakumari and is likely to move west northwestwards and emerge into Gulf of Mannar by Thursday afternoon.
“It would then move nearly west south-westwards across Pamban area by afternoon and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanyakumari during December 3 night and December 4 early morning as a Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph,” the update said.
As rains pounded southern districts, flights from Thoothukudi to Chennai and Bengaluru were cancelled. More than 500 people in Rameswaram and Thoothukudi have been moved to relief camps, while NDRF and state response teams are on the ground.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Kerala – Edappadi K Palaniswami and Pinnarayi Vijayan and offered all assistance from the Centre.
Chennai experienced heavy rains through the night as over 3 cm rainfall was recorded till 8.30 am on Thursday. With six trees uprooted overnight, the number of trees fallen this monsoon season has gone up to 695. However, the total number of trees uprooted in the city this year is 917.