Weather authorities have placed 16 districts across Tamil Nadu on high orange alert as deep depression bands linked to the developing Cyclone Arnab trigger severe downpours and thunderstorms over coastal and delta belts. The cyclonic system brewing over the west-central Bay of Bengal is generating rapid moisture convergence, bringing squally winds reaching 40 to 50 km/h along the Tamil Nadu coastline.
Key districts placed under heavy rain warnings include Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Tiruppur, Dindigul, Madurai, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Villupuram, alongside Puducherry and Karaikal. Meanwhile, Chennai and its surrounding northern zones remain on vigilant watch with intermittent sharp showers and localized waterlogging reported on arterial transit stretches.
State disaster response authorities have directed local municipal administrations to station heavy suction pumps in low-lying residential sectors and keep round-the-clock emergency control rooms active. Fishermen have been strictly instructed not to venture into the rough sea waters, and residents are advised to monitor official weather advisories, avoid waterlogged underpasses, and steer clear of exposed electrical installations during peak squall hours.
