Chennai, 27 October (H.S.) : Cyclonic Storm Montha has significantly picked up pace and was located approximately 480 km east of Chennai as of 11:30 am on Monday, according to weathermen. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a late afternoon update stating that the storm is highly likely to intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm. Montha is projected to cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam, near Kakinada, during the evening or night of Tuesday, October 28.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai has issued a detailed rainfall warning for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. On Monday, heavy to very heavy rainfall is anticipated at isolated places across Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Ranipet districts. Additionally, heavy rainfall is expected over the ghat areas of Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Vellore districts, as well as Puducherry.

For Tuesday, the forecast warns of heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas of Tiruvallur district. Heavy rainfall is also predicted for isolated places in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, Theni, Tenkasi, Kanniyakumari, and the ghat areas of Tirunelveli. As per weather classification, 'very heavy' rainfall is defined as 12 cm to 20 cm, while 'heavy' rainfall is between 7 cm and 11 cm.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary