Depression in Bay of Bengal intensifies into cyclonic storm Mandous, alert in southern states

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), a depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into Cyclonic Strom Mandous on Thursday.

Cyclone Mandous is likely to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining southern states.

By Pramod Madhav: A depression in the Bay of Bengal intensified into the cyclonic storm “Mandous”, which had been brewing in the region for the past few days. The cyclonic storm hovering over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved nearly west-northwestwards with a speed of 8 kmph during the past three hours, the India Meteorological Department said.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and adjoining southern states of Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota with a maximum sustained wind speed of nearly 85 kmph around midnight on December 9.

Deep Depression over Southwest and adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a Cyclonic Storm “Mandous” pronounced as “Man-Dous” (Cyclone Alert for north Tamilnadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts), according to IMD.

National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams were deployed in Tamil Nadu in Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Myladuthurai and Chennai. Three teams of NDRF have been deployed in Puducherry and Karaikal. Two control rooms and health centres are also operational.

According to the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, who reviewed the preparedness of the agencies and ministries on Tuesday, “The aim should be that there is no loss of lives and to minimise damage to property and infrastructure such as power and telecom, and in case of damage to this infrastructure, it must be restored in the quickest possible time.”

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