The Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai has forecast potential landfall of the weather system in the Bay of Bengal as a deep depression between Karaikal and Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram) on Saturday (November 30, 2024), bringing heavy rainfall over coastal areas.

Though the system prevailing over the sea is likely to make a landfall as depression between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram on Saturday, it is unlikely to turn into a cyclonic storm, said experts. This is due to high wind shear, as per the Regional Meteorological Centre.

As per the last information from the weather department, the storm lay centred about 330 km north-northeast of Trincomalee, 240 km east-northeast of Nagappattinam, 230 km east-southeast of Puducherry and 250 km southeast of Chennai.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cyclone Fengal will cross the Tamil Nadu - Puducherry coast sometime during the afternoon hours on Saturday.

Heavy rains continue to batter southern India, prompting school and college closures in several districts including Puducherry and Karaikal. Tamil Nadu's Cauvery delta region is severely impacted, with widespread crop damage and flooding reported.