Sat Nov 30 20:11:52 UTC 2024: ## Cyclone Phethai to Make Landfall Near Puducherry Tonight

**Chennai, Dec 1:** The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a fresh warning regarding the landfall of Cyclone Phethai, currently located about 100 km northeast of Puducherry and 100 km southeast of Chennai. The cyclone, which formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal, is moving at a speed of 10 kmph.

Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Balasubramanian, stated that Phethai is likely to make landfall between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram, near Puducherry, sometime this evening. He cautioned that the cyclone’s speed may decrease as it approaches the coast, making precise prediction of the landfall location and time difficult. He emphasized the unpredictable nature of cyclones, highlighting the possibility of sudden strong winds and heavy rainfall. The IMD expects the landfall process to take several hours, and the extent of the cyclone’s impact will vary across the affected region.

The IMD predicts that Phethai will make landfall between tonight and tomorrow morning (December 1st) and will weaken into a deep depression immediately afterward. The intensity of rainfall will depend on the distribution of cloud cover associated with the cyclone. The agency clarified that the predicted landfall area – between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram – reflects the cyclone’s broad impact zone, not a pinpoint location, with the eye of the storm itself measuring 10-15 km in diameter. Residents in the coastal areas are advised to take necessary precautions.

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