Cyclone Gaja to cross TN coast Thursday later

TIL Desk/National/Chennai/ Cyclone Gaja centred over Bay of Bengal is likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and cross Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Cuddalore on Thursday evening or night, the Met said. The wind speed would be about 80-90 kmph gusting at 100 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

In its Thursday bulletin, the IMD said the cyclone moved at 14 kmph and lay centred over east-northeast of Nagapattinam at 5.30 a.m. Gaja is likely to move west-southwestwards and cross between Pamban and Cuddalore. The sea condition is very likely to be rough to very rough along and off Tamil Nadu-south Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry coasts Thursday afternoon onwards, the IMD said.

It advised total suspension of fishing operations along Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coasts during the next 24 hours till Friday. Schools and colleges have been closed in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram and Pudukottai districts in Tamil Nadu and in Karaikal district in Puducherry.