Cyclone Mandous effect: State to witness heavy rains today

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday issued an “orange message” as a severe cyclonic storm was all set to lose some intensity and to make landfall between north Tamil Nadu and southern Andhra Pradesh coast at midnight, bringing heavy rains to parts of Karnataka on Saturday.

The weather department added that “Mandous” would be downgraded to a cyclonic storm from a severe cyclonic storm. “Severe Cyclonic Storm “Mandous”, pronounced as “Man-Dous”, over Southwest Bay of Bengal (Cyclone War ning for north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts): Orange Message,” an official IMD statement said.

“The storm has moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past six hours and lay centred at 5:30 hours IST of 9th December, 2022 over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 11.0° North and longitude 81.7° East, about 200 km east of Karaikal and about 270 km south-southeast of Chennai,” it added. It is estimated that the cyclone will make landfall near Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu.

“It is very likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm during the next three hours. It would move nearly north-westwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, 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 reaching up to 85 kmph during Friday midnight and early Saturday,” IMD said.