CHENNAI: The weather system over the southwest Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone (named Fengal; pronounced Feinjal) at 2.30pm on Friday, the IMD announced.
It is likely to continue to move northwestwards and cross north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram close to Puducherry as a cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 70-80kmph gusting to 90kmph on Saturday afternoon (Nov 30).
The cyclone is expected to bring extremely heavy rainfall in one or two places over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengelpet, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Cuddalore districts and Puducherry on Saturday. All these districts have been issued a red alert.
An orange alert has been issued to Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Karaikal districts as they areas may receive heavy to very heavy rain in isolated places.
A yellow alert has been issued to Tirupattur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Trichy, Pudukottai and Karur districts as these districts may receive heavy rainfall at isolated places.
The system may move inland and bring rainfall to interior districts on Dec 1. An orange alert has been issued to the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Dindigul and Erode districts for very heavy rain activity.
Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Theni and Madurai districts have been issued a yellow for heavy rainfall.
A yellow alert has been issued to the Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Tirupur, Theni, Dindigul and Erode districts for heavy rainfall on Dec 2 and 3.
