After cyclone Thane, it is now the turn of cyclone Nilam

01 November, 2012

Hurricane Sandy has caused havoc in the US, and Cyclone Nilam has hit the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh - together causing loss of life and property worth millions of dollars. Previously, in Tamil Nadu, cyclone Thane had led to devastation.

IT WAS just ten months back in December 2011 when a cyclone called 'Thane' devastated the northern Tamil Nadu coast. And now it is the turn of cyclone 'Nilam' to hit the same vulnerable coastline and bring the state again to a disastrous position.

The cyclone Nilam has caused very heavy rainfall in north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh. Though this cylone is categorised as a 'marginal cyclone', but still the authorities are prepared for its worst affects. The rains have hit areas such as Chennai, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu and in Andhra Pradesh the warning signs have been issued in Krishnapatnam, Vadarevu, Machilipatnam and Nizampatnam ports, reported NDTV.

The very severe cyclone 'Thane' with a wind speed of 140 kmph, had made a landfall on the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil and Puducherry in 2011 December. It was the strongest tropical cyclone of that year. It, initially, developed as a tropical disturbence in North Indian Ocean, which gradually gained strength and became a severe cyclonic storm. Cyclone Thane had left the city inaccessible and about 46 deaths were reported due to the cyclone.

Y.E.A. Raj, deputy director general, Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had said that the cyclone Nilam had come under the Doppler radar of IMD and is being tracked properly. Raj also added that cyclone Nilam is not as severe as cyclone Thane, and will just bring heavy showers.