The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Thursday predicted that the 'Mandous Cyclone' is likely to become severe and gather more intensity by Friday morning.
"It is likely to maintain its intensity of Severe Cyclonic Storm till early morning of 9th December and then weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by the forenoon of 9th December. It would continue to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts between Puducherry and Sriharikota, around Mahabalipuram as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph around midnight of 09th December," read an official statement by the IMD.
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 been also deployed on the beach front for emergency response.
"The cyclonic storm "Mandous" pronounced as "Man-Dous" over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past 6 hours, intensified into a Severe Cyclonic storm and lay centred at 1730 hours IST of today, the 08th December 2022 over Southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 10.1degN and longitude 82.9degE, about 250 km northeast of Trincomalee (Sri Lanka), 320 km east-northeast of Jaffna (Sri Lanka), 350 km east-southeast of Karaikal and about 440 km southeast of Chennai," said the IMD.
The Eastern Region Indian Coast Guard initiated pre-emptive measures, amid the cyclone threat.
"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.
The cyclonic storm is situated approximately 420 km east-southeast of Karaikal and 520 km southeast of Chennai.
A red alert has been issued for 13 districts in Tamil Nadu for Thursday and Friday, while six National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been stationed.
