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Bloomberg
Storm Nivar over the Bay of Bengal is likely to turn into a “very severe cyclone†by Wednesday and may cause widespread damage to crops, mud houses and electricity poles in some southern Indian states.
The storm will have a sustained wind speed of 120 to 130 kilometres (75-81 miles) per hour, according to the
India Meteorological Department (IMD). The wind speed may even rise to as much as 145 kilometres, it said.
Heavy rain is expected in some areas of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh for two days from Wednesday, the weather office said. The cyclone will be intense enough to damage crops, plantations, trees, mud houses and communication and electric poles, the statement said, advising fishermen to completely suspend operations in the region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured all possible
support to Tamil Nadu and Puducherry state governments.
About 22 teams from the National Disaster Response Force have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puduchhery, while eight others were ready in reserve, according to SN Pradhan, director general of the agency. Another 20 teams are also on standby,
it said.
Nivar is the third cyclone to hit Indian coasts since May, when storm Amphanaffected millions across the region and killed about 100 people.