Cyclone Nivar: Indian Navy deploys ships, aircraft, helicopters, diving, disaster relief teams on standby for support

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], November 26 : As "severe" cyclonic storm Nivar approached Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts, the Indian Navy on Wednesday put ships, aircraft, helicopters, diving, and disaster relief teams on standby for rendering support to state and Union Territory administration.
"Cyclone Nivar Update: Indian Navy ships, aircraft, helicopters, diving, and disaster relief teams standby for rendering full support to State administration as Severe Cyclonic Storm Nivar crosses Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast," tweeted the official spokesperson of Navy.
Indian Coast Guard vessel has also been deployed off Chennai coast with disaster relief items, in view of Cyclone Nivar.
Meanwhile, the Indian army also deployed eight rescue teams by 'Dakhshin Bharat Area' following requisition by Puducherry civil authorities to undertake rescue operations for Cyclone Nivar.
"Eight Rescue Teams deployed by Dakhshin Bharat Area following requisition by Puducherry civil authorities to undertake rescue operations for Cyclone Nivar. DGP Puducherry interacted with the columns. Army in touch with government officials of Puducherry Tamil Nadu" tweeted the Southern Command of Indian Army.
Earlier, India Meteorology Department issued a warning about total destruction of thatched houses, extensive damage to kutcha houses, some damage to old pucca houses, and "Damage expected over Nagapattinam, Myladuthurai, Cuddalore, Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal & Puducherry, along with Tiruvarur, Kanchipuram, Chennai, Tiruvallaur districts of Tamilnadu and adjoining Andhra Pradesh,' said IMD
"Isolated extremely heavy rainfall activity also very likely over coastal and north interior Tamil Nadu and Puducherry during November 25, over Nellore and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh on November 25, and over Ranipet, Tiruvannamalai, Tirupattur, Vellore districts of Tamil Nadu; Chittoor, Kurnool, Prakasam and Cuddappa districts of Andhra Pradesh and adjoining southeast Telangana on November 26, 2020," IMD said further.
IMD in its national bulletin also said that the severe cyclonic storm Nivar over southwest Bay of Bengal moved west northwestwards with a speed of 16 kmph during past six hours and intensified into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' and lay centred at 2.30 pm on November 25 over southwest Bay of Bengal near latitude 11.2°N and longitude 81.0°E, about 90 km east-southeast of Cuddalore, about 150 km east southeast of Puducherry and 220 km south southeast of Chennai.
"It is very likely to move northwestwards and cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry during mid-night of November 25 and early hours of November 26 as a very severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 120-130 kmph gusting to 145 kmph. The Cyclone is being monitored by Doppler Weather Radar at Chennai, Karaikal, and Sriharikota," said IMD.
Due to continuous rainfall, severe water-logging in the area around Chennai's Poonamallee High Road was also reported today.