Bay of Bengal system intensifies into cyclone Burevi, to hit Tamil Nadu on December 4

The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Burevi'. The storm on Wednesday, November 2 is likely to cross the coast of Sri Lanka, near Trincomalee hit South Tamil Nadu on December 4, the India Meteorological Department confirmed on Tuesday.

Tamil Nadu was hit by cyclone Nivar last week. Heavy rains and strong winds were observed in many parts of the state due to the cyclone.

"The deep depression intensified at adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal into Cyclone storm Burevi at 17:30 hours and lay centred about 400 kilometres of east-southeast Trincomalee. It will cross the Sri Lanka coast close to Trincomalee on December 2 during evening/night and cross south Tamil Nadu between Kanniyakumari and Pamban on the early morning of December 4," The India Meteorological Department (IMD), confirmed on Twitter.

"The cyclonic storm will cross Sri Lanka coast in evening or night of December 2. It is most likely to move westwards and emerge in Gulf of Mannar and Kanyakumari areas as a cyclonic storm in the morning of December 3," said K Santosh, Director of Kerala's Meteorological Centre.

Fishermen out at sea have been advised by IMD to return to the coast, and suspend fishing operation until December 4.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely at some places in Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. Ramanathapuram will also receive good weather activity in the form of rain.

The meteorological department has also issued alerts for Idukki, Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts in Kerala.

The Tamil Nadu government has set up two control rooms in the state to deal with the cyclone. One of the control rooms is in Kanyakumari (04651-226235). There is also a control room in Tuticorin (04612320458). While the main office is in Chennai whose control room number is (044-29530392).