The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red warning for Puducherry and three districts of Tamil Nadu, as Cyclone Mandous was inching closer to the coast. A red warning has been issued for three districts – Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, and Villupuram – for December 9, Friday, and also for Puducherry. An orange warning for rainfall has been issued for Chennai district for December 9 and 10. As of Thursday afternoon, the cyclonic storm Mandous lay over the Bay of Bengal about 460 km east-southeast of Karaikal. It would cross the north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast between Puducherry and Sriharikota, near Mahabalipuram, around Friday midnight.
For December 8, the IMD issued an orange warning for Cuddalore, Myladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, and Pudukottai districts in Tamil Nadu, and Karaikal in Puducherry. On December 9, an orange warning has been issued for Tirupathur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi and Cuddalore. For December 10, an orange warning has been issued for Dharmapuri, Krishnagiri, Tirupathur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Ranipet, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur and Chennai.
The IMD had issued an alert that the state would receive heavy rainfall on December 9 and 10 due to this weather phenomenon. The IMD senior officials said that heavy rain will occur from December 8 to 10 in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikkal areas due to this depression. The weather department has also said that Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, South Andhra Pradesh and north Sri Lanka coasts may get winds in the speed of 40-50 kmph gushing up to 60 kmph from December 8. The wind intensity may go up to 70-90 kmph between December 9 and 10.
P Senthamaraikannan, Scientist, Chennai Regional Meteorological Centre while speaking to the media persons said: "The cyclone is expected to adversely impact the state as the wind and rainfall is likely to be severe on December 9 and 10. " The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams are kept ready in all district collectorates to face any eventuality.