Northeast monsoon to begin from October 30: IMD

The much anticipated Northeast monsoon, which brings the bulk of rainfall to Tamil Nadu and other southern states, is likely to commence by October 30, the India Meteorological Department said on Wednesday.

"Commencement of Northeast monsoon rains over the southern parts of peninsular India is likely around October 30, 2016," the Department said in a bulletin.

The Regional Meteorological Centre here also said the north east monsoon was likely to set in by Sunday.

The cyclonic storm 'Kyant' over east-central Bay of Bengal was likely to move west-southwestwards towards west-central Bay of Bengal in the 72 hours, the RMC said.

Last year, the Northeast monsoon had wreaked havoc in Tamil Nadu, with a record downpour in December 2015, resulting in deluge in the four northern districts of Tamil Nadu — Chennai, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, and Kancheepuram.

Normal life was paralysed in several parts of these districts, with people being evacuated from flooded residential areas to safer zones. Armed forces and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were also pressed into service last year.

On a direction from Madras High Court, the state government had last week constituted a 20-member advisory committee of experts from various fields to assist the state Disaster Management authority in times of natural calamities.