Cyclone Thane, packing wind speed of 140 kmph, made landfall on the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil and Puducherry on Friday morning, officials of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) here said.
"The cyclone is in the process of crossing between Cuddalore and Puducherry coast. The wind speed is around 140 kmph at Puducherry and Cuddalore. Waves measuring 1.5 metres height are hitting the shoreline," an IMD official said.
At 2 a.m. the cyclone moved closer to about 90 km east of Puducherry, 125 km south-southeast of Chennai, IMD said.
"The storm is more of wind centric and not much of rain. Puducherry recorded 14 cm rain, while Cuddalore 7 cm.," the official said, adding the weather will remain gloomy.
Rainfall with heavy to very heavy falls was expected at a few places in north Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The IMD has also predicted rainfall over south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalseema.
In Puducherry, as a matter of precaution, power has been switched off since 11 p.m. on Thursday night.
"We don't know what is happening in the outside world. All that we have been hearing since last night is the howling of the wind. Several trees have fallen down. Even mobile phone signals are not proper," S. Ravikumar, a Puducherry resident, said.
Chennai and Cuddalore have witnessed heavy wind and rain since Thursday night. In some places tress have been uprooted disrupting power lines and traffic.
