Cyclone Nilam, which hit the Tamil Nadu coast near Mahabalipuram last evening, has weakened. The cyclone left 11 people dead in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

A crew member of a stranded ship drowned after a life boat carrying him and 21 others capsized in choppy waters off Besant Nagar locality in south Chennai in high velocity winds just hours before the cyclone hit the coast. Five sailors are missing. The Met Department says Nilam could weaken, with less rain expected in the next 24 hours.

Wind speeds went up to 100 kilometre per hour in some areas, when the cyclone made landfall. Around 3,500 people have been evacuated from Mahabalipuram. Meanwhile, five coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh are still on alert.

The arrival of the cyclone led to rainfall at most places. According to the Met Department, heavy to very heavy rainfall would also occur over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema during the next 48 hours. Larger-than-usual tidal waves would inundate the low-lying areas of Nellore district.