RMC issues yellow alert for 17 TN districts for 2 days

CHENNAI: The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) on Sunday issued yellow alert for 17 districts of Tamil Nadu predicting heavy rain for the next 48 hours due to cyclonic circulation over the Southeast Arabian Sea & adjoining Lakshadweep area and wind discontinuity over the north interior Tamil Nadu.

In addition, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea due to strong wind in the sea.

As the wind discontinuity runs from east Vidarbha to north interior Tamil Nadu across Telangana and interior Karnataka at 1.5 km above mean sea-level.

The cyclonic circulation over Southeast Arabian Sea and the adjoining Lakshadweep area now lies over Maldives area at 0.9 km above mean sea level.

“At least 17 districts - Salem, Dharmapuri, the Nilgiris, Erode, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Namakkal, Karur, Theni, Dindigul, Tenkasi, Kallakurichi, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Perambalur and Tiruchy are likely to get heavy rain along with thunderstorm activity for the next two days. Also, heavy to very heavy rain is predicted at isolated places over Ranipet Vellore, Tirupattur, and Tiruvannamalai districts,” said a senior RMC official.

The rest of the districts are expected to get light to moderate showers for the next few days. And the maximum temperature is likely to reduce during the evening time.

“Additionally, squally weather with wind speed reaching 40 kmph to 45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely to prevail over Southwest Bay of Bengal along and off Tamil Nadu coast from Cuddalore to Ramanathapuram and adjoining Sri Lanka coast. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the above-mentioned area for 24 hours,” said a senior RMC official.

Several districts of Tamil Nadu witnessed heavy rain in the last 24 hours, of which Madurai received 11 cm. Tirunelveli 9 cm, Coimbatore 8 cm, Nilgiris, Ranipet, Thoothukudi, and Pudukottai recorded 7 cm rainfall each, according to the data by RMC.