Cyclone Nivar: Tamil Nadu CM declares public holiday on Wednesday

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday
declared a statewide public holiday on Wednesday in view of cyclone ‘Nivar’, reported ANI.

According to the reports, the cyclone is expected to
cross the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast between Karaikal and Mamallapuram during
Wednesday late evening.

“Extremely heavy rainfall is expected in coastal and north
interior Tamil Nadu districts on November 25. The most vulnerable
zone is north Tamil Nadu districts,” said Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG, Indian
Meteorological Department.

Meanwhile, NDRF has deployed 12 teams in Tamil Nadu, two in Puducherry, one in Karaikal, one in Nellore, one in Chittoor and eight teams ‘pre-positioned’ in Vizag,
making up a total of 22 teams on-ground as well as 8 teams on standby for relief work.

Read more: How severely can Cyclone ‘Nivar’ damage Tamil Nadu

The IMD has predicted that the cyclone will gain strength and clock top
speeds of 90 to 100 km/hour gusting up to 110 km/hour by Wednesday.

Nivar is going to be the second cyclone in the north Indian
ocean region within a week and the second severe cyclone of the year, after Amphan,
a super-cyclone, hit West Bengal earlier in May this year.

Read more: Cyclone Nivar: Section 144 imposed in Puducherry till November 26

The weather department has also issued red alert in both Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. Northern districts can face an extent of rainfall up to 25 cm on the day.
Sea conditions on the day would be very highly unfavourable, generating waves
that could reach 10 metres of height, said IMD.

In Puducherry, Section 144 was imposed from November 24
9 pm to November 26 6 am.