'Very severe' cyclonic storm to pummel Chennai today

CHENNAI: With a giant and unfriendly eye set on Chennai, `very severe' cyclonic

storm Vardah

is likely to make landfall in the city with

wind speeds

of up to 100kmph and bringing with it around 20cm of rainfall to at least two or more localities in the city.

It has been 22 years since the city has been in the eye of a very severe cyclonic storm. It was a Monday morning in October 1994 when a cyclone made landfall in the heart of the city and ripped through it at 80kmph, claiming at least 15 lives. After forecasting that Vardah would make landfall in AP, the IMD on Sunday made a dramatic announcement: The storm, it said, would instead make landfall near Chennai. On Sunday evening, Vardah was 300km east northeast of Chennai, moving westwards at 13kmph.

In 2010, cyclone Jal made landfall north of Chennai, while in 2012, Nilam hit the south of Chennai near Kalpakkam.

“It was only in 1994 that the eye of the storm travelled right above Chennai,“ said weather blogger Pradeep John. The eye of the storm extends a few kilometres to its radius. In the past 50 years, 17 systems of cyclonic intensity have made landfall near Chennai, Regional Meteorological Centre former deputy director general Y E A Raj said.

Skymet Weather chief meteorologist Mahesh Palawat said, “Chennai can expect winds travelling up to 100kmph for about an hour when Vardah makes landfall.The storm will subside by evening.“

Just before the storm makes landfall on Monday afternoon, it is likely to weaken into a cyclonic storm or severe cyclonic storm, the IMD said.