IMD issues red alert in Tamil Nadu, Cyclone Gaja to hit the coast on Nov 15

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Tamil Nadu, announcing that cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’, with gale wind speed reaching 80­-90 kmph and gusting to 100 kmph, is likely to cross the north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai on November 15.

Met officials have predicted heavy to very heavy rains at a few places and extremely heavy rains at isolated places in north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. 

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has called for an emergency meeting to discuss the alert and said no officials can go on leave.

According to an IMD bulletin issued at 8.15 pm, ‘Gaja’ was located about 840 km east­-northeast of Chennai and  880 km  east­northeast of Nagapattinam.