Storm moves closer to coast, landfall tomorrow, TN on high alert
Chennai, Nov 14: The cyclonic storm 'Gaja' over the Bay of Bengal lay at about 470 km south east from here and is set to make landfall between Cuddalore and Pamban on Thursday evening bringing heavy rainfall to Tamil Nadu.
'Gaja' that lay over southwest and adjoining southeast and west central Bay of Bengal is about 550 km north east of Nagapattinam and is very likely to cross coast between Pamban and Cuddalore on Thursday evening or night with a wind speed gusting up to 100 kmph, the Met office here said.
With the Tamil Nadu government already declaring that 30,500 rescue personnel were on standby, the district collectors of Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Pudukottai, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Ramanathapuram have declared holiday for schools and colleges on Thursday.
All educational institutions in Puducherry and Karaikal regions would remain closed tomorrow in view of the cyclone.
Against the backdrop of the Central Water Commission advising constant vigil over dams, Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister R B Udayakumar told reporters that dams, lakes and rivers channels were being monitored continuously.
The CWC had advised action as per the Standard Operating Procedure as heavy rainfall in catchment areas could fill up the dams fast in less than 24 hours.
The Minister said mobile operators have assured to move 'Cell on Wheels,' mobile platforms to provide uninterrupted mobile connectivity to Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts which are likely to witness the cyclone impact during landfall.
The government has also held discussions with oil marketing companies and they have been advised to maintain sufficient fuel stock, he said.
While reiterating caution to fishermen to not venture into the sea, Udayakumar said a comprehensive list of do's and don'ts have been circulated to the people on cyclone eve.
The red column in the Met bulletins only indicate that steps to mitigate possible disaster should be taken by the government which has already been done and people should not panic, he underlined.
The Met office had warned storm surge of about 1.0 metres likely to inundate low-lying areas of Nagapattinam, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu and Karaikal district of Puducherry at the time of landfall.
The IMD also cautioned about major damage to thatched huts. "Rooftops may blow off," and communication and power lines may be affected it had said adding standing crops could also be hit besides water intrusion in low lying areas. PTI VGN COR
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Pak, India agree to immediate ceasefire, US says it mediated the truce
Washington, May 10 (PTI): President Donald Trump on Saturday claimed that India and Pakistan have agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after talks mediated by the US.
The US-brokered ceasefire came hours after militaries of India and Pakistan attacked each other’s military facilities, dangerously escalating the ongoing conflict.
"After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a FULL AND IMMEDIATE CEASEFIRE," the US president announced in a post on Truth Social.
"Congratulations to both Countries on using Common Sense and Great Intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" Trump added.
The announcement by Trump came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir.
Rubio also made a similar statement on X.
"Over the past 48 hours, @VP Vance and I have engaged with senior Indian and Pakistani officials, including Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shehbaz Sharif, External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, and National Security Advisors Ajit Doval and Asim Malik," he said.
He said he was "pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site".
"We commend Prime Ministers Modi and Sharif on their wisdom, prudence, and statesmanship in choosing the path of peace," he added.
Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed the ceasefire with immediate effect.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2025
