Cyclone Nivar: Chembarambakkam Lake gates opened for 1st time since 2015 after heavy rains in Chennai – Mint

Cyclone Nivar is all set to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts today late evening. The landfall point will be close to Puducherry and the weather bureau has predicted strong winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall over parts of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Here are the latest updates on Cyclone Nivar in Tamil Nadu:

• As many as 26 flights from and to Chennai have been cancelled in view of Cyclone Nivar, the Chennai Airport has said.
• Heavy rainfall might occur at few places over Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Tiruchirapalli, Salem and Dharmapuri districts of Tamil Nadu, the Met Dept of Chennai has said.
• The IMD has also predicted scattered heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Myladuthirai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurchi, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai District of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal.
• A total of five trains have been partially cancelled, including two for today, three for tomorrow and one for 28 November, Southern Railways said.

• Shutters of Chembarambakkam Lake opened. Watch video

• On Cyclone Nivar impact, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG of IMD said, “Cyclone Nivar gradually intensifying. It could cause structural damage, uprooting of trees, damage to thatched or tin houses, and damage to banana and paddy crops. There’ll be strong winds and heavy rain. The most impact will be in Puducherry and Karaikal.”
• The Southern Command of Indian Army said that the jawans are ready to assist the government and civil administration in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry ahead of Cyclone Nivar’s landfall. As many as 12 humanitarian assistance and disaster relief teams and two engineer task forces are ready for deployment, according to reports.
• Seven gates out of the 19 of Chembarambakkam Lake in Chennai have been opened. For the first time in around five years, the gates of the reservoir has been opened. CM Palaniswami visited the area as the gates were being opened.
• To report waterlogging or rain water stagnation and other flooding issues, authorities have issued these numbers — 044-25384530, 044-25384540, 1913.

Here are the zone-wise helpline numbers:

1) Kodambakkam – 9445190210

2) Valasaravakkam – 9445190211

3) Alandur – 9445190212

4) Adyar – 9445190213

• Chennai Corporation has ordered the removal of all hoardings ahead of Cyclone Nivar’s landfall as a precautionary measure to avoid any untoward incidents when the severe cyclonic storm hits the city. Meanwhile, the weather bureau has said the wind speed in Chennai could be up to 90 to 100 kmph. Nivar cyclone is expected to make landfall in midnight with wind speed of 120-130 kmph gusting at 145 kmph speed.
• Visuals of water-logging in parts of Chennai due to heavy rainfall ahead of Cyclone Nivar’s landfall.

• On evacuation of people from low lying areas, Puducherry CM says, “Central control room operating from State Disaster Management Control Room to provide help to the public. People from low lying areas evacuated. They will be provided with food, water, hand sanitisers and face masks. The fishermen advised not to venture into the sea.”
• Initially, 1,000 cusecs of water will be released from the Chembarambakkam reservoir today afternoon as the water level is reaching the 22 feet-mark. An alert has already been issued to those living on the banks of Chennai’s Adyar river and in low lying areas.
• Cyclone Nivar now 290 km from Cuddalore – The Met dept has confirmed that the severe cyclonic storm ‘Nivar’ is centred about 290 km east-southeast of Cuddalore. “It is very likely to intensify further into a very severe cyclonic storm during next 12 hours. It is very likely to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts on Nob 25 midnight and early hours of November 26,” it added.
• Cyclone Nivar, which was earlier predicted to reach ‘severe cyclonic storm’ category at the time of landfall, is now expected to intensify into a ‘very severe cyclonic storm’ when it crosses the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts late on Wednesday evening.

• According to the IMD’s current tracking, the severe cyclonic storm Nivar over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 06 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 0230 hrs IST of 25 November over southwest Bay of Bengal.
• “Cyclone Nivar lays 350 km SE of Chennai moving NW and likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm and cross between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram today late evening or night. While crossing wind speed likely to touch 145 kmph,” Director, Area Cyclone Warning Centre, Chennai said.
• Heavy rains lash Chennai as Cyclone Nivar is expected to make landfall between Karaikal and Mamallapuram later today.

• Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami has declared a statewide public holiday on Wednesday as Cyclone Nivar is expected to cross Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram tomorrow evening.
• The Chennai airport has cancelled around 24 flights and released a list of the cancelled flights for today.

• Visuals from Mamallapuram where Cyclone Nivar is likely to cross between Mamallapuram and Karaikal today and early hours of 26 November, as per the weather department.

• Meanwhile, in light of ‘severe cyclonic storm’ Nivar poised to strike Tamil Nadu and parts of his state, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy sounded an alert and instructed the state machinery to be prepared.
• Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, while people in coastal areas are also being evacuated to shelter houses.
• Meanwhile, IndiGo flights to or from the southern region, mainly Chennai, have been disrupted. “A total of 49 flights that were scheduled for tomorrow (Wednesday) have been cancelled. We will monitor the situation and decide on the further course of action for November 26. We are accommodating passengers on next available flights at no additional charges, waiving off cancellation fee and the refunding full ticket amount,” the company said in a statement.