Four districts of TN on high alert as deep depression nears cyclone intensity

Four southern districts of Tamil Nadu mdash Kanyakumari Tirunelveli Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram mdash have been placed on high alert as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal moves closer to cyclonic intensityThe India Meteorological Department IMD has warned of very heavy rainfall in these districts on Wednesday with the weather system expected to strengthen further over the next 24 hoursThe deep depression which intensified from a lowpressure area over the Bay is moving westnorthwest and may gain additional strengthWhile earlier predictions suggested a potential cyclone IMD has now indicated only that the system will continue to intensifyMeanwhile another lowpressure area persists near the Malacca Strait and a separate system is active over the southwest Bay of Bengal southern Sri Lanka and the adjoining Indian OceanTogether they have triggered widespread heavy rainfall across Tamil Nadu submerging vast stretches of farmlandIn Cuddalore district nearly 1500 acres of paddy fields in Poovalai Alamelu Mangapuram and Manikollai remain under waterFarmers blame repeated flooding on the Paravanar river alleging that embankments were not built even though silt was removed under a river improvement projectNagapattinam district has suffered severe crop losses with 15000 acres of paddy submerged in Keelannapur Vadamarudhur and PanayurIn Karuvelankadai Chetticheri and Melachetticheri over 500 acres of Samba paddy have been lost to floodingUmbalachery near Vedaranyam recorded over 1000 acres of inundated farmlandTiruvarur district reported another 15000 acres of submerged fields around Tiruthuraipoondi affecting crops in Kallikudi Nedumbalam Vepancheri Kudavasal and MaruthavanamIn Tenkasi strong floods at Courtallam Main Falls Five Falls and Chitharuvi led authorities to ban bathing for the fourth straight day disappointing Ayyappa devotees and tourists arriving in large numbersOwing to worsening sea conditions thirdlevel cyclone warning cones have been hoisted at Thoothukudi VOC Port and Pamban PortThe IMD said the lowpressure system over the southwest Bay Sri Lanka and the Indian Ocean is also likely to intensify into a deep depression today and further strengthen within 24 hoursUnder its influence very heavy rainfall is expected today in Kanniyakumari Tirunelveli Thoothukudi and RamanathapuramTomorrow Thoothukudi Ramanathapuram Pudukottai Thanjavur Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam are likely to receive heavy rainThe day after Thanjavur Tiruvarur and Nagapattinam may see very heavy rainfall with strong showers expected in Ramanathapuram Sivaganga Pudukottai Mayiladuthurai Cuddalore and AriyalurOn November 29 very heavy rainfall has been forecast for Chennai Kancheepuram Tiruvallur Chengalpattu Pudukottai Thanjavur Tiruvarur Nagapattinam Mayiladuthurai Cuddalore and VillupuramThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever