Cyclonic Gaja crosses Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast

Cyclonic Gaja made landfall in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu around 1:40 am on Friday. Heavy rain and strong winds have been lashing the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu since Thursday evening. A total of 63,203 people have been evacuated and housed in 331 relief centres in six districts. A holiday has been declared for educational institutions in seven districts. Here are the latest updates on Cyclone Gaja.

During Cyclone Gaja's landfall, heavy rain lashed Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur, uprooting trees in several regions.

Electricity supply was disconnected Nagapattinam and in several other coastal regions in view of the cyclone's landfall.

Four teams each of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel have been already deployed in Nagapattinam district, while two teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed in Cuddalore district.

Severe cyclonic storm Gaja is very likely to move nearly westwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during the next 6 hours. Though the centre of cyclone lies over land, the rear sector of the eye wall is still over the sea. It will take about an hour to move over land. - India Meteorological Department (IMD).

Cyclone Gaja over southwest Bay of Bengal has moved further west-southwestwards and crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam near lat 10.5, long 79.8 with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph during 12:30 am to 2:30 am on Friday (November 16), the MeT department said, reports India Today.

Source: unb