Cyclone Mandous approaches Tamil Nadu: How deadly is this storm?

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Tamil Nadu and its neighbouring areas are preparing for severe rainfall as Cyclone Mandous is slated to cross close to the Chennai coast at midnight.

A high alert has been issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) in parts of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and the Union territory of Puducherry. The state administration has also issued an advisory and deployed resources in vulnerable areas.

What is Cyclone Mandous?

The weather department informed that a depression has formed in the Bay of Bengal and would intensify into a cyclonic storm, causing unusually heavy rainfall in the country’s southern provinces.

For the unversed, a cyclone is a low-pressure storm that develops over warm waters. Fundamentally, consists of a system of fast winds spinning around a low-pressure depression, with the winds blowing in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres.

What's in store for the people?

The forecast office on Thursday said that many districts in the southern region will likely experience significant rain over the next two days.

The IMD stated several locations in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Tiruchirapalli, Sivaganga and Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry could witness extremely heavy rainfall on Friday. Heavy to very heavy rain was predicted for districts like Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Pudukkotai and Thanjavur, in Tamil Nadu and Karaikal area on Thursday.

The weather agency also anticipated heavy to very heavy rainfall in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Vellore, Tirupattur, Tiruvannamalai, Kallakurichi, and Cuddalore on Friday. Heavy rain is likely to occur in isolated places in Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Tiruchirapalli, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukkotai, Sivaganga, Madurai and Dindigul.

On Saturday, heavy to very heavy rain is predicted in isolated places in Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Tirupattur, Vellore, Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Chennai and Tiruvallur districts, while heavy rain is forecasted in isolated places in the Nilgiris, Erode, Salem, Kallakurichi and Villupuram districts.

Also read: Weather Report: India marks warm November, another dry week expected

What are the precautionary measures taken?

Ten teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been sent by the state government to Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, and Villupuram. Three of the NDRF teams have been stationed in Puducherry and Karaikal.

The teams have erected relief camps and powerful motor pumps to drain water from low-lying areas. In vulnerable areas, boats and tree cutters have been deployed. The sea has been closed to fishermen for three days. There will also be two operational control rooms and medical facilities when the cyclone sweeps across the shore.

Schools and institutions are closed today in 12 districts, including Chennai, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Vellore, Ranipettai, and Kancheepuram due to the heavy rain alert.

All parks and playgrounds are to be closed until further notice, per an order from the Chennai city administration. Additionally, it has been requested that people not drive beneath any trees or visit any beaches today.

All stores along the beaches are closed. A total of 121 shelters and 5,093 aid centres, including 169 in Chennai, have been opened throughout Tamil Nadu. People have been warned by the Tamil Nadu government to avoid unnecessary travel and to always have a flashlight or candle, batteries, dry fruit, and water on hand. It has also requested that all precautions be taken, including a prior announcement of the release of extra water from reservoirs.

Puducherry chief minister N Rangasamy chaired a review meeting and has said that 238 relief centres are installed. The Indian Navy, Indian Army, and Coast Guard relief troops have also been on standby.

What is the origin of cyclone names?

The Regional Specialised Meteorological Centres (RSMCs) and Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) name the cyclones that are formed in any ocean basin around the world. Six RSMCs in all, including the India Meteorological Department, are located throughout the world.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) proposal, which in Arabic translates to "treasure box," inspired the name of the most recent storm.

Notably, the IMD shared a list of over 169 names, including 13 names that were suggested by each member nation and are used sequentially to name tropical cyclones.

The World Meteorological Organization and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (WMO/ESCAP) have a panel on tropical cyclones that includes these member countries. Before the first round of the list is finished and the second round begins, Yemen is left to assign its suggested name Mocha, which is pronounced Mokha.

The Indian weather department names the cyclones developing over the northern Indian Ocean, the Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal. It also issues advisories to 12 other countries in the region as the cyclones and storms develop over time.

When India’s turn comes around next, the cyclone will be called ‘Tej’. Other than India, Bangladesh, Iran, Maldives, Pakistan, Myanmar, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE, and Yemen are also a part of the member nations group.

Why are cyclones named?

The cyclones have names to help people identify them easily as it would be challenging to memorise numbers and other technical jargon.

Naming storms make it simpler for the scientific community, the media, and disaster management to recognise and record individual cyclones, issue warnings, boost community alertness, and avoid confusion in areas that witness several cyclones.

With inputs from agencies

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