Cyclone Nivar LIVE UPDATES: Flight operations suspended from 7 pm to 7 am at Chennai
Several flights and trains were cancelled as cyclone ‘Nivar’ is likely to cross the coast between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry before dawn on Thursday according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
WATCH: Frightening Visuals Flood Social Media
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami earlier on Tuesday said that relief camps have been set up and other necessary measures taken in view of Cyclone Nivar which is expected to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Mamallapuram and Karaikal on Wednesday late evening
#WATCH | Tamil Nadu: Visuals from Marina Beach in Chennai as strong winds hit the region, sea turns rough.
#CycloneNivar is likely to cross between Mamallapuram and Karaikal during midnight today and early hours of 26th November, as per IMD pic.twitter.com/yBqgARoirS
— ANI (@ANI) November 25, 2020
He, meanwhile, declared Thursday a public holiday for 13 districts including Chennai, Vellore, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Chengelpet and Kancheepuram considering the safety of people in view of the cyclone. Wednesday has already been declared a holiday.
Nearly 1,200 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescue personnel have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry and 800 others are on standby. NDRF chief SN Pradhan said they are prepared for a “high level of intensity and the worst form” of the cyclonic storm as it surges from the Bay of Bengal towards the southern coastline.