Schools and colleges in Puducherry and parts of Tamil Nadu will remain closed tomorrow, with the possibility of a cyclone hitting the coastal areas.
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The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours, bringing heavy rain across Tamil Nadu, the met office said.
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Forecasts indicate that the developing cyclone is likely to move toward Chennai, but the exact landfall location could vary and be anywhere between Puducherry and Chennai or even beyond Tamil Nadu’s borders into Andhra Pradesh.
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Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected in isolated places across the districts of Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, and Cuddalore.
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The met office has also issued a warning of strong winds, with gusts of up to 65 kmph, in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal tomorrow.
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Heavy rains are also expected in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai districts on Thursday.
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An Orange alert – indicating heavy rains — has been issued for Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Ranipet districts for Friday and Saturday. In delta districts of Tamil Nadu, the red alert has been downgraded to orange alert. There is a forecast of heavy to very heavy rains.
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has chaired a review meeting with administration officials to assess the state’s preparedness for the heavy rains and the potential cyclonic storm.
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Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy chaired an emergency meeting to review the situation arising out of heavy rains in Puducherry and Karaikal regions.
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The Tamil Nadu government has stationed disaster response teams from both state and Centre and emergency control centres are running round-the- clock.
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This is the fourth weather system to form during the northeast monsoon season since mid-October.