Pamban Port in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram experienced strong winds on Wednesday due to a deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the deep depression is expected to move north-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm later today (November 27).
Meanwhile, fishermen in the Cuddalore district were seen pulling their boats ashore due to rough seas.
Authorities have declared a holiday for schools and colleges in nine districts, including Villupuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai, Ramanathapuram, and Trichy, due to heavy rains in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Schools in Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, Ariyalur, Sivagangai, and Pudukottai will also remain closed today.
Madras University, Karaikudi Alagappa University, Bharathidasan University, and the Directorate of Technical Education have postponed their scheduled semester exams, citing heavy rainfall predictions. Revised dates will be announced later.
The IMD has predicted widespread heavy rainfall today due to the possible cyclonic storm in the Bay of Bengal. As of the latest IMD update on November 27, the deep depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards at a speed of 13 km/h over the past six hours. At 5:30 am IST, it was centred approximately 130 km east-southeast of Trincomalee, 400 km southeast of Nagapattinam, 510 km southeast of Puducherry, and 590 km south-southeast of Chennai.
The system is likely to continue moving north-northwestwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours. Subsequently, it is expected to move towards the Tamil Nadu coast, skirting Sri Lanka's coast over the next two days.
"Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected at a few places, with extremely heavy rain at one or two locations in Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, and the Karaikal area. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely at isolated places in Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Chengalpet, Villupuram, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Pudukottai districts, as well as in Puducherry," the IMD said in a release.