Cyclone Michaung may make landfall along coasts of Andhra and Tamil Nadu on Dec 5; SDRF, NDRF teams deployed; alerts issued

Cyclone Michaung, originating from the Bay of Bengal on December 2, is anticipated to make landfall along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu before 12 noon on December 5. The Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts wind speeds reaching 90 to 110 kilometers per hour (KMPH) during this period.

According to Skymet Weather,  Cyclone Michaung is expected to cross coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam in coastal Andhra Pradesh.

The storm is expected to weaken after that and it is not likely to go very deep because it will recurve northeastward. With this, the eastern half of Telangana is likely to see heavy rains including the cities of Khammam, Nalgonda, Mehboobabad, Bhadrachalam etc on December 5 and 6.

Other parts of the state may not see heavy rains. In fact, even the capital city of Hyderabad will not see heavy rains but still see showers and clouding. In fact, rains have started to be seen over the region. These rainfall activities will see a reduction on December 7

Red alerts issued

The IMD indicates that the impact of the storm will be felt in Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Puducherry. Red alerts have been issued for Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry for today, and for Telangana on December 5.

SDRF, NDRF teams deployed; trains, flights cancelled 

An orange alert is in place for Odisha on December 5. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams have been deployed in these regions. Besides, as many as 204 trains and 70 flights have been cancelled.

2 die in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, two casualties were reported due to a wall collapse, and one person sustained injuries. The airport runway has been closed due to waterlogging, and the sea level at Mahabalipuram beach has risen approximately 5 feet.

Cyclone Michaung marks the fourth storm in the Bay of Bengal and the sixth in the Indian Ocean in 2023.

12cm of rainfall in Chennai

Monday and Tuesday have been declared public holidays in Tamil Nadu, excluding essential services. Chennai recorded 12cm of rainfall from Sunday to 8:30 am on Monday, with some areas experiencing 20 to 22 cm of rainfall. 

Chennai International Airport's runway is closed from 9:40 am to 11 pm on Monday due to waterlogging, resulting in the cancellation of 70 flights. Schools and colleges in urban areas are closed, and some regions are grappling with flooded roads.

Warning to fishermen in Odisha

An orange alert has been issued for five districts in Odisha until December 6, with warnings of heavy rain. The Odisha government is on high alert in coastal areas, canceling over 60 trains, and fishermen are advised against venturing into the sea.

Puducherry and Telangana have also issued alerts, with Section 144 imposed in marine areas around Puducherry. Telangana is on red alert due to the storm.

North India may experience dense fog 

Additionally, North India, including Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh, is expected to experience dense fog in the coming days. Pahalgam and Gulmarg in Kashmir recorded zero degrees Celsius on Sunday. Light rain was reported in some areas of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh on Sunday.