Heavy rains lash parts of Tamil Nadu as cyclone Burevi nears

Heavy rains lashed several parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry starting from last night as Cyclonic storm 'Burevi' is all set to cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanyakumari, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday. 

The storm over north Sri Lanka with a wind speed of 70- 80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph would be centered very close to Pamban around noon today, the department said.

"It would then move nearly westsouthwestwards across Pamban area by afternoon and cross south Tamilnadu coast between Pamban and Kanniyakumari," the IMD said on its twitter handle. 

Under the influence of the weather system, regions including those falling under the Cauvery delta zone like Kodavasal in Tiruvarur district, Nagapattinam, Vedaranyam, Karaikal, Tiruthuraipoondi and Mudukulatur in Ramanathapuram received rainfall between nine cm and a maximum of 20 cm since last night and till this morning.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Modi government is committed to provide all possible help to the people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the wake of Burevi's impending landfall along the southern coast.