The deep depression in Bay of Bengal, which is 250 kilometres off Chennai coast, has turned into a cyclone as expected by the metereological department official. The officials have name this cyclone as Neelam. Even as United States of America is reeling under the pressure from hurricane Sandy, the cyclone hitting India on the same day is making scores of people panic especially those who have their kin and kith in America and the NRI s who hail from coastal parts of Tamil Nadu and other coastal parts of Andhra close to Chennai.

The officials in Chennai have already taken all measures to ensure that the loss would be minimum from this cyclone. The special rescue teams have been pressed into the action and several government schools and community kitchen were made temporary rescue centres. The sources said that this cyclone might hit sometime in the evening today between Nagapattinam and Nellore (Andhra Pradesh). Even in Andhra Pradesh, the government has alerted all the coastal regions in the wake of this cyclone and asked fishermen not to venture into the sea.

 (AW Phani)