Cyclonic storm Mandous to cross coast near Chennai, schools remain closed on December 9

It is expected to move west-northwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm

Moving at a speed of 13 km per hour and packing winds with a maximum sustained speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph, Cyclone Mandous is likely to make landfall between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mamallapuram near Chennai late Friday evening.

Several parts of north Tamil Nadu, including Chennai and its neighbouring districts of Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur, experienced heavy rains through Thursday night, even as the government declared holidays for schools and colleges in over two dozen districts across the state.

As the cyclone is expected to make landfall near Mamallapuram, the historic town ruled by the famed Pallava Dynasty, the government has asked people to avoid unnecessary travel on Friday, especially in the evening. Chennai and its neighbouring districts were pounded by heavy rains since Thursday evening and the IMD has forecast rains till Saturday.

In its latest bulletin, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said the Cyclone Mandous, at 5:30 am on Friday, lay about 270 km north-northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 200 km east of Karaikal and about 270 km south-southeast of Chennai.

Also Read | Cyclone Mandous likely to make landfall near Chennai

“It would move nearly north-westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 km/ph gusting to 85 km/ph during midnight of today to early hours of December 10,” the IMD said.

Under the influence of the cyclone, light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry.

The government has rushed 12 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) to various districts to handle the situation arising out of rains. The sea in most parts of the state was reported to be rough even as fishermen have been advised to stay away from the sea till Saturday.