CHENNAI: Cyclone warning signal no. 1 has been hoisted at nine ports in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as strong winds prevail amid the likelihood of a cyclone forming over the Bay of Bengal, according to officials.
According to a Daily Thanthi report, the ports where the warning signal has been hoisted are Chennai, Ennore, Kattupalli, Cuddalore, Thoothukudi, Pamban, Puducherry, Nagapattinam and Karaikal.
The low-pressure area that formed over the central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal intensified into a well-marked low-pressure area on Saturday. It is expected to strengthen into a depression and subsequently a deep depression on Sunday before developing into a cyclone on Monday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The system is forecast to move west-northwestwards and intensify further. It may cross the coast near Andhra Pradesh over the central-west Bay of Bengal on the morning of October 28.
Cyclone warning signals numbered 1 to 11 are hoisted at ports to indicate potential weather threats and their severity. A No 1 signal indicates that weather conditions favourable for the formation of a cyclone exist, with strong winds expected in the vicinity, but the port itself is not expected to be affected.
During the daytime, warning signals are displayed using cone-shaped structures made of bamboo, while coloured lights are used at night.