India: Severe Cyclone Mandous hits Tamil Nadu; red alerts issued for 3 districts

As Cyclone Mandous is classified as 'severe', and continues to gather intensity on Friday, the Greater Chennai Corporation issued precautionary measures and ordered the closure of all parks and playgrounds till further notice.

According to officials, red alerts were issued in 3 districts of Tamil Nadu — Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Kancheepuram. Earlier, 13 districts of the southern state were issued red alerts.

Chennai's civic body also asked people not to visit beaches tomorrow and to park cars in open areas (to avoid parking under trees).

On Friday, all the schools and colleges will be closed in Puducherry and Karaikal, said Education Minister A Namassivayam.

On Friday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted the trajectory of the potent cyclone.

"Cyclone will continue to move west-northwestwards & cross north Tamilnadu, Puducherry & adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts b/w Puducherry & Sriharikota around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 km/h gusting to 85 km/h during midnight," as per an ANI tweet sourced from IMD forecasts.

The IMD later added that Mandous was "very likely" to maintain its severity for about 6 hours, after which it would weaken (slowly) into a cyclonic storm — losing its "severe" classification.

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Meanwhile, all shops on the beach were closed due to the cyclone alert, while fishing boats were moored far off the beaches for safety. Ambulances have also been deployed on the beachfront for quicker emergency responses.

The Eastern Region Indian Coast Guard initiated pre-emptive measures in this regard..

"The state administration has been requested to sensitise the coastal populace and State Disaster Management Authorities have been requested to issue advisories through local print, television and electronic media," an official said.

Another ANI tweet — sourced from an update by the Andhra Pradesh Meteorological Centre — said:

"Severe cyclonic storm 'Mandous' over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards withspeed of 12 km/h in past 06 hours & is over Southwest Bay of Bengal on 9th December. It lies 320 km south-southeast of Chennai: Andhra Pradesh Meteorological Centre."

Six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams are on standby.

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