Cyclone Gaja HIGHLIGHTS: A view of the damage caused by cyclone ‘Gaja’, after it hit Velankanni, in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, Friday. (PTI Photo) Cyclone Gaja HIGHLIGHTS: A view of the damage caused by cyclone ‘Gaja’, after it hit Velankanni, in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, Friday. (PTI Photo)

Cyclone Gaja turned into a deep depression over southeast Arabian Sea on Saturday evening. It is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm in the next 12 hours. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted heavy to very heavy rains in Lakshadweep Islands in the next 24 hours.

Chennai Met Department has also issued warning to Tamil Nadu fishermen and advised them not venture into the Arabian Sea for the next two days.

At least 33 people were killed and over 82,000 others were affected after Cyclone ‘Gaja’ hit the Tamil Nadu coast early Friday. The cyclonic storm ripped through Nagapattinam, uprooting trees and snapping power lines in coastal districts. The rescued people have been sheltered in 471 relief centres in six districts including Nagapattinam, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram and Tiruvarur.

See photos | Thousands evacuated as Cyclone Gaja wreaks havoc in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry

CM Palaniswami has announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund for the families of the deceased. He also said that relief work will be taken up on a war-footing and that the work was already underway, PTI reported. He alleged that the Centre did not sanction funds which the state had sought for management of natural disasters.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the bereaved families of the victims and assured all possible assistance.