Chennai/Nagapattinam:
A deep depression is slated to cross the coast near Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu on November 16, prompting the district administration to today review its preparedness and put in place the required mechanism to face any impact.
Squally winds with speeds of 55-65 kmph are likely along south coastal Andhra Pradesh, north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and there may be heavy to very heavy rains at a few places in north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry under the influence of the depression.
Nagapattinam District Collector T Munusamy convened an emergency meeting of officials and discussed precautionary measures to tackle the situation.
Cyclone shelters in the district have been kept ready to accommodate people in the event of evacuation. Officials have been asked to keep ready other public buildings like schools, colleges and marriage halls to accommodate people, he said.
The Collector said services of the Coast Guard and Indian Navy would be requested in the event of an emergency.
Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal were recently hit by cyclone Phailin which had brought heavy rains in its wake, leading to devastation and loss of lives.
The depression over southwest Bay of Bengal remained "practically stationary" and lay centred at 8:30 AM about 550 km east-southeast of Chennai, 630 km east-southeast of Nellore and 570 km east-northeast of Nagapattinam, the regional weather office said.
The system, which would continue to move nearly westwards, may intensify into a deep depression and cross north Tamil Nadu coast near Nagapattinam around November 16 evening, the weather office said.
It had yesterday said that the system may intensify into a deep depression and cross north Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai by the night of November 15 or 16th morning.