Cyclone Burevi Expected To Enter Kerala On Friday: CM Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said given the present set of indicators, Cyclone Burevi is expected to enter Kerala on Friday.

"According to the IMD, Burevi is expected to enter Indian territory at Tuticorin coast either tonight (Thursday) or tomorrow morning (Friday). By tomorrow afternoon, it is expected to touch base in Kerala... it is expected to arrive in the Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram border and from there, it will go into the Arabian Sea. Once in land the expected maximum wind speed is expected to be 60 kms in an hour," he said.

Vijayan said that districts like Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Alappuzha can expect very heavy rainfall.

"All have to be very cautious and have to be on alert till it leaves our state. All the basic arrangements have been done and officials are also ready. Mobile operators have been asked to ensure that they provide generators at all tower sites. Air Force and Navy are also all ready, in case a need arises," he added.

Vijayan said in the morning Union Home Minister Amit Shah had called him to assure of all help and asked that there should be no hesitation to call for any need.

He said that eight teams of the National Disaster Rescue Force have already arrived and two teams are posted in Idukki district, while the other teams are in other districts, where Burevi could have an impact.

As many as 2,849 relief camp sites have been identified and by now, a few of them are already functional.

Cyclone Burevi To Cross Pamban-Kanniyakumari Coast On Thursday Night

The Cyclone is expected to cross the south Tamil Nadu coast between Pamban and Kanniyakumari, during late Thursday night/early Friday morning, with wind speed of 70-80 gusting to 90 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

According to the IMD, the impact would continue over Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli and Kanniyakumari districts of south Tamil Nadu and adjoining districts of south Kerala till early on Friday.

The IMD said Burevi lay centered 40km east-southeast of Pamban and 260 km east-northeast of Kanniyakumari.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with isolated extremely heavy falls are very likely over south Tamil Nadu (Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Theni, Madurai and Sivagangai districts) on Thursday and isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over rest of south Tamil Nadu on Friday.

The IMD said heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal on Thursday and isolated heavy rainfall on Friday.

Fishermen were advised not to venture into southwest Bay of Bengal and along and off east Sri Lanka coast on Thursday, Comorin Area, Gulf of Mannar and south Tamil Nadu-Kerala and west Sri Lanka coasts from Thursday to Friday, and over Lakshadweep-Maldives area & adjoining southeast Arabian Sea from Thursday to Saturday.

Meanwhile the state government has taken precautionary steps like setting up of relief camps in Kanniyakumari and the fishermen who had gone into the sea have been informed to reach nearby shores for safety.

(With IANS Inputs)