In expectation of a strong cyclone storm that is expected to strike the southern part of India on Saturday, schools were closed and hundreds of people relocated inland to storm shelters.
According to India’s weather agency, cyclonic storm Fengal is expected to reach land in Tamil Nadu state in the afternoon with sustained winds of 70–80 km/h (43–50 mph).
Low-lying coastal regions were at risk of flooding due to the forecast’s prediction of one-meter (three-foot) surging waves, which advised fishing crews to avoid the ocean.
Based on the Economic Times newspaper, at least 471 people had been relocated to relief camps, while schools and institutions had been closed in many districts around Tamil Nadu.
A frequent and lethal threat in the northern Indian Ocean are cyclones, which are comparable to hurricanes in the North Atlantic or typhoons in the northwest Pacific.
Fengal killed at least 12 people, including six children, when it swerved around Sri Lanka’s coast earlier this week.
Due to climate change brought on by the use of fossil fuels, scientists have warned that storms are getting stronger as the planet warms.
Water vapor released by warmer ocean surfaces gives storms more energy and makes winds stronger.
Also, when the atmosphere warms, they can store more water, which increases the amount of heavy rains.
However, mortality tolls have significantly decreased because to improved forecasting and more efficient evacuation preparation.
