Gaja
Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Gaja was the sixth named cyclone of the 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season,after Cyclones Sagar, Mekunu, Daye, Luban,
and Titli .Forming on November 5 as a low pressure system over the Gulf of Thailand, the system crossed through Southern Thailand and the Malay Peninsula and eventually crossed into the Andaman Sea
At the time of landfall of the cyclone, heavy winds of about 170–180 km/h speed were experienced. The highest wind gust was recorded in Adhirampattinam at 181 km/h, and Muthupet recorded a wind gust of 180 km/h. Regions of Karaikal and Nagapattinam also experienced 100 km/h winds.
The affected areas were the districts of Nagappattinam, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Pudukottai, Karaikal, Trichy and Ramanathapuram. About 100,000 electric poles, 1,000 transformers, 201 electricity substations and 5,000 boats were destroyed by the cyclone.
The Coconut Development Board has meanwhile estimated the loss of coconut palms to 18,100 hectares against 56,000 hectares in the four regions. The production per hectare in Thanjavur was 18,372 nuts, Nagapattinam (10,170/ hectare), Thiruvarur (18,440/hectare) and Pudukottai (11,855/hectare). All these figures are much higher compared to the national productivity average of 10,803/ hectare.
