Cyclone Gaja Warning Issued

‘Gaja’ that was looming over southwest and connecting southeast and west central Bay of Bengal is fast approaching the north east of Nagapattinam

The cyclonic storm ‘Gaja’ was plotted approximately 470 km south east from Chennai on Thursday morning and is set to make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban on Thursday evening and is expected to bring widespread rainfall to Tamil Nadu.

The Tamil Nadu government are preparing well in advance and have already declared that 30,500 rescue personnel are on standby. Schools and colleges in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram will remain closed on Thursday as directed by the respective district collectors. The same holds good for Puducherry and Karaikal.

Dams, lakes and rivers channels are being monitored closely as Tamil Nadu’s Revenue Minister RB Udayakumar is determined not to leave any loose ends.

The CWC had directed pre-emptive action as per the Standard Operating Procedure as heavy rainfall in vulnerable expanses could result in the filling up of dams in less than 24 hours.

The Minister held that mobile operators have guaranteed to move ‘Cell on Wheels,’ mobile platforms to provide incessant mobile network connectivity to Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts.

Oil marketing companies have been directed to maintain adequate fuel.

While restating caution to fishermen to not venture into the sea, Mr Udayakumar said a wide-ranging list of do’s and don’ts have been distributed to the fishing community on cyclone eve.

This time it appears as though the Tamil Nadu government has taken all the right steps to avoid any possible disaster and have advised the local population not to panic.

The Met office had cautioned storm gush of about 1.0 metres likely to overwhelm low-lying areas of Nagapattinam, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal district of Puducherry at the time of landfall.