Fishermen in Tamil Nadu have been advised not to venture out to sea in the next 24 to 48 hours
Chennai:
Heavy rain has submerged track and badly affected train services in Chennai, hours after the threat of a cyclone receded.
The city saw incessant rain for three hours this morning, which delayed trains to Chennai and hit thousands of passengers.
The cyclone will "cross the coast (Bay of Bengal) as depression only" and will make a landfall around noon near Puducherry, say weather officials.
"The depression will not intensify into a cyclone but will cross coast as a depression only," said an official at the Chennai Met office. He said that wind speed is expected to touch up to 60 kmph and there will be rain in most parts of Tamil Nadu.
Schools and colleges are shut in Puducherry, Chennai and adjoining districts Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur.
"We've ensured enough stock of food grains and medicine too. Eight task forces are monitoring on the ground," said Puducherry Collector D Manikandan.
Fishermen in Tamil Nadu have been advised to avoid going out to sea in the next 48 hours as the sea will be rough to very rough, a Met department official said.
In Cuddalore, a senior official said: "Cyclone shelters are ready. We have enough stock of food grains, medicine and water. We are also keeping JCBs ready to clear roads blocked by fallen trees."