GIRDING UP LOINS FOR TH E WORST!

Chennai: Northern coastal Tamil Nadu witnessed light to moderate rainfall and some places heavy showers as the cyclonic storm ‘Mandous’ continued to move further closer to the State’s coastline, and it is set to cross the coast near starting midnight, the IMD said on Friday. A holiday has been declared for schools and colleges in Chennai, and other districts including Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, and Kancheepuram on Saturday due to rain forecast. Late Friday Mandous was 90km SE of Mamallapuram.

The IMD said Mandous lay centered 440km southeast of Chennai and may weaken into a cyclonic storm by forenoon on December 9. “The cyclone interacts with the sea surface temperature, surrounding and upper atmosphere and the weather is meant to change continuously,” said S Balachandran, deputy director general, IMD, Chennai. IMD has issued a red alert for Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Villupuram for December 9 as these districts are likely to receive extremely heavy rainfall (21cm or more) at one or two places. The agency issued an orange alert to eight districts today. Chennai and Tiruvallur are likely to receive heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 cm to 20 cm) on December 10. The government, meanwhile, said it was prepared for emergency situations. 12 state and national disaster response force units had reached districts likely to be hit. Govt buses will not be operated at night. Public has been advised not to visit beaches.