Cyclonic storm to hit Lakshadweep and southern Kerala, TN coast
30 Nov 2017
The weather bureau has warned of cyclonic storm 'Ockhi' brewing over the Cape area with expected landfall in south Kerala, adjoining districts of south Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep Islands.
The Meteorological bureau expects squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph to hit the Lakshadweep Islands during next 12 hours and increase thereafter with wind speeds rising to 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph from tonight.
Gale wind speeds reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph are also very likely along south Kerala during next 48 hours and along south Tamil Nadu during the next 24 hours, it added.
As `Orange' alert issued at 1430 hours (IST) on the basis of observations and satellite imageries said the cyclonic storm 'Ockhi' moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 32 kmph during past 6 hours and lay centred about 410 km west-northwest of Galle (Sri Lanka), 70 km southwest of Kanyakumari, 70 km south of Thiruvananthapuram and 410 km east-southeast of Minicoy at 1130 hrs (IST).
The system is very likely to move west-northwestwards towards Lakshadweep Islands and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm during next 24 hours, the Met said.
The bureau has forecast rainfall in most adjoining places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places over south Tamil Nadu and south Kerala during the next 24 hours and isolated heavy falls over interior Tamil Nadu and Kerala during subsequent 24 hours.
Rainfall is also very likely in most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls over Lakshadweep area during next 48 hours, it said.
Gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph very likely along & off South Kerala during next 48 hours and along & off south Tamilnadu during next 24 hours.
Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph very likely along & around Lakshadweep Islands during next 12 hours and increase thereafter with wind speeds becoming 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph from tonight, the 30th November 2017.
Sea conditions would be high along and off south Kerala coast during next 48 hours and along and off south Tamilnadu coast during the next 24 hours. Sea would be very rough to high over and around Lakshadweep Islands during next 12 hours and high to very high during subsequent 48 hours, it added.
Wind and rain can cause damage over south Kerala (Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Kollam, Pathanathitta, Thiruvananthapuram districts), adjoining districts of south Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari, Tutukudi and Tirunelveli districts) and Lakshadweep Islands.
Uprooting of trees and breaking of branches could cause damage to power and communication lines, thatched houses, kutcha houses and minor damage to pucca roads.
Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards has also been forecast while storm surge of about 1 meter above astronomical tides could very likely inundate low lying areas of Lakshadweep Islands from tonight, it warned.
Storm surge of about 0.5 meter above astronomical tides could also inundate low lying areas of coastal districts of south Kerala (Alappuzha, Kollam, and Thiruvananthapuram districts), and adjoining districts of south Tamil Nadu (Kanyakumari, Tutukudi and Tirunelveli districts) during next 12 hours, the weather bureau has warned.
Fishermen along and off Lakshadweep Islands and off South Kerala coasts have been advised not to venture into the sea during next 48 hours while fishermen off South Tamil Nadu coast have been warned against venturing into sea during the next 24 hours..
