Cyclone Nivar gradually intensifying, could cause damage to homes, uproot trees: IMD

New Delhi, Nov 25: The cyclone is gradually intensifying and it could cause structural damage, uprooting of trees, damage to thatched, tin houses and damage to banana and paddy crops.

"There'll be strong winds and heavy rain. The most impact will be in Puducherry and Karaikal, "said Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, DG of IMD.

Mohapatra also said the cyclone Nivar is gradually intensifying.

The cyclone is very likely to cross Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mamallapuram around Puducherry during 25th November late evening as a very severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 120-130 km per hour gusting to 145 kmph.

amil Nadu has declared a public holiday on Wednesday while Puducherry has imposed Section 144 for three days. Nearly 1,200 National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) rescue personnel have been deployed in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry and 800 others are on standby.

NDRF chief SN Pradhan said they are prepared for a "high level of intensity and the worst form" of the cyclonic storm as it surges from the Bay of Bengal towards the southern coastline.

Also, Tamil Nadu likely to witness scattered heavy to very heavy rain at isolated places over Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Myladuthirai, Ariyalur, Perambalur, Kallakurchi, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai Dist of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Karaikal, states the Met Dept, Chennai.