Chennai, December 14: As the cyclone “Ward” was forecast to cross the Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Pamban, the district admin on Saturday put the official machinery on high preparedness and Navy and CISF personnel were kept in a state of readiness to meet any eventuality.
Around 120 personnel from Central Security Industrial Force (CSIF) and 12 officers have arrived from Arakonam while Navy was on standby with rescue boats, District Collector C Munianathan told reporters after chairing an urgent forward warning consultative meeting with various agencies in Nagapattinam on Saturday.
A “local cautionary signal” number Three, an indication of severe warning, had been hoisted at Pamban near the island and fishing banned.
Earlier, a Met office bulletin in Chennai said ‘Ward’, which lay stationary at 500km south east of Nagapattinam, is likely to weaken and cross the coast between the town and Pamban by Sunday night.
Heavy and isolated very heavy rains have been forecast over the coastal parts of the state over the next two days under the influence of the system.
A round-the-clock control room has been set up in Nagapattinam and fishermen have been warned not to venture into sea.
Many boats anchored in Rameswaram harbour area were damaged after collision following strong wind and rough sea.
All trains to and from Rameswaram island crossed the Pamban Bridge at a slow speed as the waves almost touched its bottom.
Giant waves battered the shores at Rameswaram and Pamban causing panic among the residents in fishermen’s hamlets.
—Agencies