Cyclone Nivar is expected to cross the coasts of Tamil nadu and Puducherry and make a landfall between Mamallapuram and Karaikal on November 25 evening as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 KMPH. The deep depression over Southwest Bay of bengal has strengthened into a cyclonic storm, Nivar, and it hovered 450 km south east of Chennai, said the Indian Meteorological department.

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Prime minister Narendra Modi who spoke to chief ministers of Tamil nadu and Puducherry, has posted tweet in Tamil to stretch his supportive hand. “I have spoken to Tamil nadu chief minister Edappadi Pazhaniswamy and Puducherry chief minister V. Narayanaswamy. I have assured them the assistance from the centre. I’m praying to God for the safety of people who are living by the places that are likely to get affected” he said in his tweet.

“நிவர் புயல் சூழல் குறித்து தமிழக முதல்வர் @EPSTamilNadu, புதுச்சேரி முதல்வர் @VNarayanasami உடன் பேசினேன். மத்திய அரசு அனைத்து உதவிகளையும் செய்யும் என்று உறுதி அளித்தேன். பாதிக்கப்படக்கூடிய பகுதிகளில் உள்ள மக்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக இருப்பதற்காக நான் பிரார்த்திக்கிறேன்.” his tweet read.

நிவர் புயல் சூழல் குறித்து தமிழக முதல்வர் @EPSTamilNadu, புதுச்சேரி முதல்வர் @VNarayanasami உடன் பேசினேன். மத்திய அரசு அனைத்து உதவிகளையும் செய்யும் என்று உறுதி அளித்தேன். பாதிக்கப்படக்கூடிய பகுதிகளில் உள்ள மக்கள் பாதுகாப்பாக இருப்பதற்காக நான் பிரார்த்திக்கிறேன்.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 24, 2020

It is believed that Tamil nadu is applying the lessons learnt from the previous devastating cyclones, Gaja in 2018 and Vardah in 2016, to prepare for the heavy rains and wind that have been forecast from the day in Chennai and districts such as Cuddalore, Pudukottai and Viluppuram.

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National disaster response force have been mobilised to coastal regions. Six teams are in Cuddalore which is one of the worst affected regions in the state during every monsoon and cyclone. Two teams are on standby in Chennai and one in Madurai.

It is reported that people who are living in low lying and flood prone areas have been asked to move to safer places and district authorities are shifting them to relief camps with food and necessary medical aids. Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy have asked people not to go out for the next three days. Authorities have warned of damage to thatched roofs, water logging, suspension of electricity and uprooting of trees due to the severe cyclone.

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The water level at Chembarambakkam lake which caused the 2015 floods in Chennai, reached 82.62 feet out of 85.40 with an inflow of 220 cusecs. “People need not panic. The situation is under good control”, said Greater Chennai corporation commissioner, G Prakash. The city has opened 80 relief camps and another 80 is on standby. Fishing operations has been completely suspended. The previous cyclone Gaja claimed 46 lives and left a trail of destruction leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless, across ten districts.