IMD warns of heavy rain in TN as Bay of Bengal depression weakens

Chennai: A ‘deep depression’ over the Bay of Bengal has weakened into a ‘depression’ and is very likely to cross the north Sri Lanka coast on Saturday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

Owing to the weather system, “heavy rainfall” is expected at isolated places over Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Pudukkottai, Karaikal, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi, Ariyalur and Ramanathapuram districts.

In a bulletin, the IMD said the depression was positioned about 50 km southeast of Mullaittivu, 60 km northeast of Trincomalee and 140 km southeast of Jaffna in Sri Lanka. It was also located 250 km southeast of Karaikal and 450 km south-southeast of Chennai.

“It is very likely to continue moving west-northwestwards and cross the north Sri Lanka coast between Trincomalee and Jaffna, close to Mullaittivu, as a depression,” the agency said.

Sea conditions are likely to remain very rough over the southwest Bay of Bengal and adjoining Indian Ocean areas, improving gradually thereafter. Surface winds of 35-45 kmph are expected at times over coastal Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, it added.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea, while those already at sea have been asked to avoid the southeast and southwest Bay of Bengal, waters off the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast, the Gulf of Mannar and the Comorin area.

Tiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district, Ayinkudi in Pudukkottai district and Grand Anicut in Thanjavur district recorded 1 cm of rainfall each in the past 24 hours.

For Chennai and neighbouring areas, the IMD said the sky is likely to remain cloudy, with light rain expected in some places. PTI