Severe Cyclonic storm ‘GAJA’ over Southwest Bay of Bengal: Cyclone Warning for Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coast: Red Message

The position of Cyclone Gaja at 7.30 p.m. on November 15, 2018. Photo: IMD  

The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘GAJA’ over Southwest Bay of Bengal moved further west-southwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph during past 06 hours and lay centred at 1730 hrs IST of 15 th November, 2018 over Southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 10.8°N and longitude 81.2°E, about 150 km east of Nagapattinam (Tamil Nadu). It is very likely to move west-southwestwards and cross Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Cuddalore, around Nagapattinam during the late evening of today, the 15th November 2018 as a Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph. The Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘GAJA’ is being monitored by Doppler Weather Radar Chennai and Karaikal since the morning of today, the 15th November 2018.

Forecast track and intensity are given in the following table:

Warnings: 
(i) Heavy rainfall warnings:

(i) Wind warning 
 Squally wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph is prevailing along & off Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts and 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph along & off adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast. It is very likely to increase gradually becoming Gale wind speed 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph along & off central parts of Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coasts from 2000 hours IST for subsequent 06 hours. 
 Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph very likely over interior Tamilnadu, Kerala, southeast Arabian Sea along & off Kerala coast, Comorian area, Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait on 16th November. Strong wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph very likely to prevail over southeast Arabian Sea and along & off Kerala coast on 17th November.
 (ii) Sea condition Sea condition is high over Southwest Bay of Bengal. The sea condition is very likely to be high to very high along and off Tamil Nadu & Puducherry coast during next 18 hours. 
(iii) Storm Surge Warning Storm surge of height of about 1.0 meter above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low lying areas of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal district of Puducherry at the time of landfall.
 (iv) Damage Expected over districts of Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal district of Puducherry: Major damage to thatched huts/houses, roof tops may blow off and unattached metal sheets may fly. Damage to power and communication lines. Major damage to Kutcha & minor damage to Pucca roads. Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees. Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees, and orchards. Seawater inundation in low lying areas after erosion of Kutcha embankments. 
(v)Action Suggested: 
 Total suspension of fishing operations along & off Tamil Nadu & Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during next 24 hours.  The fishermen are advised not to venture into Southwest & adjoining westcentral Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours. The fishermen are advised not to venture into Arabian Sea along & off Kerala coast from 16th November evening.  Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors. (vi) Post landfall outlook:  After landfall, cyclonic storm likely to retain its intensity of cyclone for about six hours. Hence gale wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph is likely to prevail over adjoining interior districts of Tamilnadu. Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is also likely over these interior districts during the same period. 
 It is likely to cause damage to thatched huts, minor damage to power & communication lines due to breaking of tree branches, damage to Kutcha roads and some damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees & orchards. 
Source ; IMD