The district administrations of Nagapattinam and Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu have sounded a red alert as they began evacuating thousands of people in the coastal hamlets today, with cyclone Fanoos predicted to hit the coast on Saturday afternoon. The cyclone might hit the coast near Parangipettai near Chidambaram, if the cyclone held its course. Reports from Cuddalore and Nagapattinam said a red alert had been sounded and people of over 50 hamlets on the coast advised to move to cyclone shelters. Fishermen have been advised not to venture out to the sea. While Danger Signal No.V has been hoisted at Nagapattinam port, Danger Signal No.VI has been hoisted at Chennai and Ennore ports. At Cuddalore and Pondicherry ports Danger Signal No.VII has been hoisted. The storm, which has been moving slowly, was centred 300 km east of Nagapattinam at 2.30 pm on Friday, and was heading in a west-northwesterly direction towards the coast.As the cyclone started moving closer to the coast, the TN and Pondicherry governments sounded an alert in all coastal areas, and set in motion precautionary measures. .Cylcone alerts from the Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) , Delhi and the Meteorological Office, Chennai predicted heavy rains in many places in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry in the next 24 hours.
