Tamil Nadu braces for Cyclone Nilam

A cyclone warning was issued on Tuesday along coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry after a deep depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone.

The storm, named Nilam, was expected to cross between Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday’s evening, southern coastal districts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday evening.

According to the meteorological department, Nilam is around 500 km south-southeast of Chennai and 100 km east-northeast of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. It is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm and move north-westwards on Wednesday afternoon or evening, said the department officials.

Met officials have warned of a squall of 45-55 kmph that could intensify to 65 kmph.

Some factories, ports and education institutions in the storm’s path would be shut. Fishermen in Nagapattinam, Chennai and Puducherry have been asked to not venture into the sea.

Officials in Chennai and Tuticorin ports have said all vessels have been moved from the port to the anchorage area for safety. At Chennai port, 12 vessels were moved to the anchorage area on Tuesday evening. Authorities in Nagapattinam district — one of the worst hit areas during the severe Thane cyclone in December 2011 — said police, fire and rescue services have been allotted specific work and they are geared up to tackle any eventuality.

Twenty-one cyclone shelters have been set up. In Chennai, 280 corporation schools and four community kitchens are ready to be used as temporary relief centres.

Schools would be shut on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Factories of Ashok Leyland, Daimler, Hyundai and IT companies were working normally on Tuesday.

Coastal Tamil Nadu was severely hit when Thane hit the state in December 2011. The cyclone had left at least 46 dead in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry and the state government allotted Rs 1,000 crore for construction of houses, farm lands and for small and medium enterprises and others.