Monday, December 19 2005 09:30 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: A cyclone alert has been sounded along the coastal regions of Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu where the district administration is evacuating over 50,000 people living by the sea.

"The district is on high alert for cyclone Mala," Cuddalore District Collector G S Bedi told sources over phone yesterday (Dec 18,2005).

The cyclone is expected to hit the coastal district and move towards Chennai anytime between yesterday or today(Dec 19,2005), Bedi said quoting Met officials.

"The sea is very rough here and it has been continuously raining," Bedi, who went to inspect the coastal village of Devanampattinam, said.

"Over 50,000 people living along the coastal villages would be shifted to 21 cyclone shelters built by the district administration," Bedi said adding the shelters, constructed to weather severe storms and cyclonic conditions were recently renovated after heavy rainfall hit the state.

"The Highways Engineers have been put on standby to clear away any damage to road system, fire and revenue officials have also been alerted," he said.

"The major part of shifting such a large number of people to the cyclone shelters would be over by today," he said.