Chennai, Nov 15 (UNI) The Cyclonic Storm 'Gaja' over the bay
intensified into a severe cyclonic storm and was moving fast
towards Tamil Nadu at a speed of 17 kmph, but weaken late in
the day and cross the coast between Pamban and Cuddalore around
Nagapattinam as cyclonic storm late on Thursday evening/night.
In its update, the Met office said the cyclonic storm over the
Southwest Bay of Bengal moved further west­-southwestwards
with a speed of 17 kmph during the past six hours, intensified into
a Severe Cyclonic Storm and lay centered over Southwest Bay of
Bengal about 290 km southeast of Chennai and 290 km east­-north
east of Nagapattinam.
It is very likely to move west­-southwestwards and cross the Tamil Nadu
coast between Pamban and Cuddalore around Nagapattinam during
late evening of today as a Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of
80-­90 kmph and gusting to 100 kmph.
Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rain would occur at
a few places, with extremely heavy rain at isolated places,
over Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
Heavy rain would also occur at isolated places over Kerala,
Rayalaseema and south Coastal Andhra Pradesh and heavy rain
at a few places with very heavy rain at isolated places over
interior Tamil Nadu, heavy to very heavy rain at isolated
places over Kerala and heavy rain at isolated places over
South Interior Karnataka and south Coastal Andhra Pradesh
during the next 24 hrs.
The remnant of this system after landfall was likely to emerge
as a low pressure area over the Southeast Arabian Sea around
Saturday.
'It is likely to become more marked and move westwards during
the subsequent 24 hrs', the bulletin said.
UNI GV CS 1241