Cyclone Burevi to cross Tamil Nadu coast between December 3 and 4

Cyclone Nivar hit Tamil Nadu less than a week ago and has claimed 4 lives and uprooted 1,000 trees in TN

NDRF personnel at Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Credit: Special Arrangement

Moving at a speed of 18 kmph, Cyclone Burevi is likely to intensify in the next 12 hours and cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Kanyakumari and Pamban in Rameswaram on Thursday night or Friday morning, bringing heavy rains to southern districts.

The cyclonic storm lies 110 km east-north-east of Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka and 520 km east-north-east of Kanyakumari and will cross the Sri Lankan coast to the north of Trincomalee on Wednesday night. It is very likely to move nearly west-northwestwards thereafter, emerge into Gulf of Mannar and adjoining Comorin area Thursday morning.

“It would then move nearly west-south-westwards across Pamban area by afternoon and cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanyakumari between Thursday night and early Friday morning,” the IMD said. The cyclone’s impact on south Tamil Nadu coastal districts is very likely to commence from Thursday forenoon, initially over Ramanathapuram district and gradually towards Kanyakumari district.

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Under the influence of the cyclonic storm, southern districts and parts of northern Tamil Nadu are likely to be pounded by heavy rains till Friday. The state government asked administrations of nine districts – Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Tenkasi, Sivaganga, Theni, Dindigul, Ramanathapuram, and Virudhunagar – to remain on high alert and move people living in low-lying areas to safety.

IMD said Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Tenkasi and Sivaganga districts will receive heavy rains on Thursday, while Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha in Kerala will also experience rains.

The state braces for a second cyclone in just about a week – Cyclone Nivar which made landfall between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry in the wee hours of November 26 claimed four lives and uprooted over 1,000 trees.

Also Read: Deep depression over Bay of Bengal now cyclonic storm 'Burevi'

As part of the efforts to move people living in low-lying areas to safety, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescued 360 persons from Palam near Dhanushkodi and shifted them to Narayanpur shelter in Thangachimadam.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and assured all assistance.