Chennai (Tamil Nadu): The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted extremely heavy rainfall in the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday, October 22 and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea from October 21st to 25th. "For today and tomorrow, we have given an extremely heavy rainfall warning to the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu...Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea from 21st to 25th," B Amudha, Director, Regional Metrological Centre, Chennai told ANI.  She said that under the influence of an upper cyclonic circulation over the South Andaman Sea and the southeast Bay of Bengal, a low-pressure area has formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal at 5:30 hours IST today."It is likely to move northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over the southwest and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal of north Tamil Nadu and South Andhra coast by the afternoon of 22nd October, 2025...There is an upper air cyclonic circulation over the South Andaman Sea and its neighbourhood, and it extends upto 5.8 km above our main sea level," she said. "Yesterday's well-marked low-pressure area over the southeast Arabian Sea persisted over the same region at 8:30 hours IST today...It is likely to move slowly westwards and concentrate into a depression during the next 24 hours. From the depression stage, it is likely to become a deep depression," she added. Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed northeast monsoon preparedness via video conference with officials."I conducted an advisory meeting today through a video conference regarding the measures to tackle the heavy rains currently lashing Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, and Delta districts," Stalin said in a post on X. "I have instructed that immediate action be taken on complaints received from the public and that rice procurement operations be carried out without any lapses, and I have inquired about the precautionary measures that have been taken. People's representatives and the entire government machinery will work tirelessly in the field, and we will protect the people!," he added Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC), Chennai, has issued orange and yellow alerts for various parts of the State for the next four days, as weather systems over the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian sea continue to feed moisture into the region. The RMC has issued orange alert for seven coastal and delta districts, including Ramanathapuram, Cuddalore and Thanjavur and Puducherry, till 8.30 a.m. on Wednesday. IMD Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty said that a low pressure area has formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal and is expected to intensify into a depression tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile, in view of the continuous heavy rainfall across Thoothukudi district, Minister for Social Welfare and Women's Rights, P. Geetha Jeevan, convened a review meeting with departmental officials at the District Collector's office on Tuesday.

Stranded Fishermen Provided Satellite Phones

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) have restored the Inmarsat satellite phone services for over 30 fishermen from Tamil Nadu's Kanyakumari district who are currently stranded at sea amid turbulent weather conditions. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the private operator has temporarily resumed connectivity for several users and with the weather alert reaching most of the fishermen stranded at sea, they are taking precautionary measures to return safely. She had spoken to Father Thomas, and was informed about the loss of satellite phone connectivity with several fishermen currently in deep sea waters. The issue of the fishermen from Vallavilai village in Kanyakumari was first flagged by the Fishermen Cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Sitharaman said.

(With ANI inputs)

MENAFN21102025007385015968ID1110228521