The Cyclonic storm ‘NILAM’, has intensified.It is centered at 450 km south east of Chennai and 130 km North North east of Trincomalee. According to Met office the system is likely to move North north westwards and cross North Tamilnadu and adjoining South Andhra Pradesh Coast between Cuddalore and Nellore near Chennai tomorrow evening at 100 kilometer per hour.

Due to the storm normal life in Chennai, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts have been affected badly. Continuous rains since late yesterday night has thrown normal life out of gear. Kollidam has recorded the maximum amount of 15 cms rainfall in the past 24 hours.

Cyclone cautionary signal number seven has been hoisted at Chennai Port and signal number five has been hoisted at Nagapttinam and Cuddalore ports.

The Met department has predicted heavy rains for the next twenty four hours. Warning has been issued for fishermen against squally winds reaching a speed of 45 to 65 km per hour. The speed of the winds could also reach upto 85 km per hour as the storm approaches.

The storm warning expects a surge of high tides reaching one to one .five metres which is likely to inundate the low lying areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram & Tiruvallur of Tamilnadu and Nellore district of Andhra Pradesh. Since more damage to thatched huts, Uprooting of small trees and breaking of tree branches causing minor damage to power and communication lines at the time of landfall are anticipated, State Governments have been warned of the consequences of the Storm. District officials are having urgent meetings to review the preparedness and assess the situation in areas where warning has been issued. The prediction also says that 25 cms of rainfall can be expected in some places.