Cyclone Burevi made landfall in the coast of Sri Lanka between 11.30 pm on Wednesday and 12.30 am Thursday, said the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai. “The Cyclonic Storm ‘Burevi’ over Sri Lanka moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 11 kmph during past six hours and lay centered at 0530 hrs IST of 03rd December over Sri Lanka,” reads the 9am bulletin.
With wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph, Cyclone Burevi is expected to cross south Tamil Nadu coast between Thursday night and Friday morning. “It would then move nearly west-southwestwards across Pamban area by afternoon and cross south Tamilnadu coast between Pamban and Kanyakumari during 3rd December night and 4th December early morning as a Cyclonic Storm with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph. Thus its impact on south Tamilnadu coastal districts is very likely to commence from 3rd December forenoon initially over Ramanathapuram district and gradually towards Kanyakumari district,” the bulletin states.
RMC has predicted rainfall at most places in south Tamil Nadu with heavy to very heavy rainfall at few places and extremely heavy fall at isolated places on Thursday. North Tamil Nadu will on Thursday receive rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places. On Friday, south Tamil Nadu will witness rainfall at many places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places, while north Tamil Nadu see rainfall at many places with heavy fall at isolated places.
A wind warning has been issued over Gulf of Mannar, Comorin Area and along and off south Tamilnadu coast (Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts), south Kerala coast and west Sri Lanka coast. Wind speeds are expected to reach 55-65kmph and go up to 90kmph from forenoon of Thursday for a period of 24 hours.
A storm surge of about 1.0 m height above astronomical tide is very likely to inundate low lying areas of Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts during the time of landfall, warned RMC.
The Met Department has ordered fishermen to suspend any fishing operations till December 5 due to the rough sea condition in the wake of Cyclone Burevi.
In Chennai, the RMC said, the sky condition will likely be cloudy with light to moderate rains in some areas for the next 24 hours. The city will continue to experience thunderstorms with light to moderate rain for the next 48 hours.