Nivar To Intensify Into Severe Cyclonic Storm: IMD

Cyclone Nivar is expected to intensify into a "very severe cyclonic storm" and cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram on the late evening of November 25, IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra said to the news agency PTI on Tuesday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had initially predicted that Cyclone Nivar was likely to intensify into a "severe cyclonic storm" but has now estimated that it will intensify further, the PTI report said.

Nivar is the second cyclone in the Bay of Bengal this year. In May, Cyclone Amphan had developed into a "super cyclonic storm".

"Our forecast is it will intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm by (Tuesday) tonight. It is very likely to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry during 25th November late evening as a very severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 120-130 kilometres per hour gusting to 145 kmph," Mohapatra was quoted saying in the report.

"Besides strong winds, the cyclone is also expected to bring heavy rains. The IMD has issued a red alert for coastal and north interior Tamilnadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal, for November 25", the top meteorologist said.

"Isolated extremely heavy rainfall activity also very likely over coastal and north interior Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Pudukottai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Karaikal, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Perabalu districts during 24th and Kadalur, Kallakurchi, Puducherry, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Chengalpattu to Ariyalur, Perambalur and Karaikal districts during 25th) and over Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh on 25th and over Rayalseema and southeast Telangana on 26th November," the IMD said.    

The PTI report added that the IMD will issue hourly updates from November 25 when the cyclone crosses the coast.