Cyclone Nivar could hit hard and make landfall near Puducherry which, along with Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, is on high alert. news Cyclone Vardah Tuesday, December 13, 2016 - 16:35 Anna Isaac Follow @anna_isaac Gusting at a speed of 140kmph, Cyclone Vardah, he says, is the most powerful cyclone … Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh are on high alert as the severe cyclonic storm, Vardah over west central and adjoining southwest Bay of Bengal moved further nearly west-southwest-wards and lay centred at about 180 km east-northeast of Chennai and 250 km east-southeast of Nellore according to Cyclone Warning Centre in Visakhapatnam. There has already been one death attributed to the cyclone. The cyclone killed 24 people in the state, and caused ₹22,573 crore (US$3.35 billion) in damage. Winds were estimated at 65 mph (105 km/h) during landfall. Cyclone Vardah: Airlines take steps for passenger safety, succour. Cyclonic storm Vardah is likely to make landfall by Monday afternoon along north Tamil Nadu and south Andhra Pradesh coast, close to Chennai, accompanied by strong winds with speeds of … Various domestic airlines on Monday said they have initiated steps to minimise customer inconvenience and ensure safety of and provide succour to passengers travelling from or to Chennai in the aftermath of cyclone Vardah… Vardah crossed the eastern coast of India close to Chennai in the afternoon hours of December 12, 2016. Fearing the winds to be worse than Vardah in 2016, the IMD has sounded red alert in many districts including Ariyalur, Myaduturai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Cuddalore and Villupuram.