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Thursday, December 29, 2011

Cyclone "Thane" and water stagnation at Marina beach

It has been raining steadily in Chennai as the City fears the  very severe cyclonic storm ‘THANE’ (ECP 996 hpa).  The cyclone  over Southwest  Bay of Bengal moved West-southwestwards and lay centered at  0300 hours UTC of today, the 29th December 2011 near latitude 12.00N and longitude 82.50E,  about 270 km East-southeast of Chennai.

Here is some extract of Indian Meteorological Department [IMD] warning : 29.12. 2011 Time of issue:1330 hours IST

The system is likely to move West-wards and cross North Tamil Nadu coast between Nagapattinam and Chennai close to Puducherry around morning of 30th December 2011. However as the cyclonic storm will come further close to the coast, there is a probability of slight weakening before landfall.  

Great danger signal number Ten kept hoisted at Puducherry and Cuddalore ports, Great danger signal number Nine kept hoisted at Chennai and Ennore ports and Great danger signal number Eight kept hoisted at Nagapattinam port.

Under the influence of this system, rainfall at most places with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy falls (25cm or more) would occur over north Tamil Nadu & Puducherry during next 48 hours.

Squally winds speed reaching 55-65 kmph gusting to 75 kmph is likely along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts. The wind speed will increase gradually becoming 110-120 kmph gusting to 135 kmph along and off north Tamilnadu and adjoining south Andhra Pradesh coast from today night onwards.

Storm surge of about 1 meter height above the astronomical tide would inundate the low lying areas of Chennai and Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram & Villupuram districts of north Tamil Nadu at the time of landfall.

Sea condition is very rough. It will gradually become very high to phenomenal along and off north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and south Andhra Pradesh coasts.  Fishermen along north Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & south Andhra Pradesh coasts are advised not to venture into sea during next 48 hrs


Fear has  gripped coastal Andhra as high tidal waves lashed the coast under the impact of 'Thane'.  There are reports of  high tidal waves of 8-10 feet, and  sea water inundating some places in Nellore, Prakasam and Srikakulam districts.The road between Uppada and Kakinada in East Godavari district was cut off Wednesday as the waves damaged the embankment and the sea water overflowed the beach road, an official said.

Chennai houses one of the beautiful beaches – the sandy Marina beach – a beach with vast expanse of sand and beautiful ocean.  The beach runs from near Fort ST. George to Besant Nagar – a distance of 13 kilo meters but most prominent is the part from Chennai University [Anna square] to the new Light House [opp to All India Radio] and the part till Foreshore Estate. 

Marine is primarily a sandy beach unlike the rocky formations elsewhere.  People visit the place in the evening for the pleasure of sea breeze; in the morning hundreds walk along the shore. 

Sands will not hold water and soon the rain water would permeate in few minutes and drain away.  Of late, it is observed frequently that in a particular place – just opposite to the Vivekananda House [Ice House], rain water stagnates for days, giving an impression of pond.

In the same place, though there were not much of rains, water collected resembling a small river or a huge pond – most probably from the high tidal waves.

Here are some photos taken this morning at Marina beach [around 0700 am on 29th Dec 2011]
 View from the service road – water on sand

Another view

The stagnated water as seen from near sea side

The roaring waves

Another view from near sea towards the road.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar.

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