Cyclone Fengal: Heavy Rain Forecast for Tamil Nadu Delta Districts; Alerts Issued
Yellow and orange alerts issued for Tamil Nadu as heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in Delta districts and nearby regions. Coastal areas to face strong winds and downpours.
TN Rains
The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) issued yellow and orange alerts for several districts in Tamil Nadu on Thursday due to expected heavy rainfall and strong winds.
A yellow alert has been announced for Chennai and its neighbouring districts, while the Delta districts are under an orange alert, anticipating heavy to very heavy rainfall.
The weather department predicts extremely intense rainfall exceeding 24.4 cm in Cuddalore and Mayiladuthurai in the Delta region on Thursday. Other districts, including Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Puducherry, are likely to receive isolated heavy rainfall of up to 24 cm. Significant rainfall is also expected in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam.
Heavy rain is forecast to continue along the coastal and northern regions of Tamil Nadu from November 29 to December 2. Additionally, strong winds with speeds of up to 65 km/h are expected along the Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal coasts on November 28.
The RMC reported that a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal is currently situated approximately 120 km east-southeast of Trincomalee, 370 km southeast of Nagapattinam, 470 km southeast of Puducherry, and 550 km south-southeast of Chennai.
This system is expected to move north-northwestwards, intensifying into a cyclonic storm within 12 hours, and approach the Tamil Nadu coast while skirting Sri Lanka's coastline over the next two days. The coastal areas are likely to experience sustained downpours until December 1.
Notably, this marks the fourth weather system to form in the Northeast Monsoon season since mid-October. However, officials have not yet determined the exact landfall location of the current system.
Meanwhile, IndiGo Airlines has cautioned passengers about potential disruptions to flights operating to and from Chennai, Tuticorin, Madurai, Tiruchirappalli, and Salem due to adverse weather conditions.
In a post on social media platform X, the airline stated:
> “#6ETravelAdvisory: The weather conditions remain largely unchanged and continue to be unfavourable, with flights to/from #Chennai, #Tuticorin, #Madurai, #Tiruchirappalli & #Salem still impacted.”
