Fishermen warned against venturing into sea as cyclone threat looms over Bay of Bengal
Chennai: Fishermen were on Saturday advised against venturing into the open sea for five days from Sunday as a cyclonic storm is expected to develop over the Bay of Bengal, according to a weather advisory.
Several districts of Tamil Nadu are also likely to receive heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds.
The Chennai weather department, in its bulletin, said a weather system over the Comorin region and adjoining southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala on October 22 had shifted towards the southeastern Arabian Sea and neighbouring Lakshadweep region by 8.30 a.m. on October 23.
An associated atmospheric trough extending towards the northern Tamil Nadu coast through Kerala, at about 1.5 kms above sea level, was influencing rainfall across the region.
For October 24, heavy rain was forecast at isolated places in Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts and the hill areas of Coimbatore, the Nilgiris and Theni.
Thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds reaching 40–50 kmph were also predicted. Rain was expected across several other districts, including Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchirappalli, Tenkasi, Madurai, Dindigul, Virudhunagar and Tiruppur.
Chennai and its neighbouring districts, the delta region, Puducherry and Karaikal were also expected to experience showers.
On October 25, isolated heavy rainfall is likely in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Dindigul, Madurai, Perambalur, Ariyalur and Tiruchirappalli.
Thunderstorms and gusty winds may accompany rainfall in Sivaganga, Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and Ranipet, besides several western and northern districts.
Rain is also forecast for Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore and parts of the Cauvery delta.
The department forecast a further spell of intense rain on October 26, with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely in the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Theni, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Pudukkottai.
Other districts, including Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Erode, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruppur, Dindigul and Virudhunagar, could also receive heavy showers.
Rain accompanied by thunder, lightning and winds of 40–50 kmph is expected in parts of Thoothukudi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai, as well as Puducherry and Karaikal.
Elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, moderate rainfall is likely at varying numbers of locations during the three-day forecast period.
The five-day warning for fishermen begins on Sunday and extends through Thursday, October 29. The advisory links the restriction to the anticipated development of the Bay of Bengal weather system.