TIL Desk/National/Chennai/ Cyclonic storm Gaja will cross Tamil Nadu coast between Cuddalore and Pamban on Nov 15, bringing heavy rainfall coupled with gale wind, the Met office said on Monday as the state government put its machinery on alert and kept on standby 30,500 rescue personnel. Neighbouring union territory of Puducherry, which is also covered by the cyclone alert, said it is on high alert as well and precautionary steps are being taken to meet the situation.
The cyclone lay about 720 km east northeast of Chennai over the Bay on Monday and it is very likely to move west southwestwards and intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm by Tuesday, the Indian Meteorological Department said in its latest bulletin. Tamil Nadu Chief Minster Edappadi K Palaniswami chaired a high-level meeting at the Secretariat of Ministers and top officials to review the preparedness in the wake of the storm and forecast of heavy rainfall.
Revenue Minsiter R B Udaya Kumar said 30,500 rescue personnel were on standby while arrangements had been made for food and shelter at relief centres for those in low lying areas. Across the state, a total of 4,399 locations have been identified as vulnerable and teams have been deployed for rescue, he told reporters. Also, teams of the National and State Disaster Response Forces are ready for deployment. Vigil has been mouted in coastal districts and meetings have been held to review preparedness, he said.
