At least 11 people have been reported dead as severe cyclonic storm 'Gaja' crossed near Tamil Nadu on Friday.

The weather system while crossing the shores has claimed at least eleven lives as informed by the state Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy. Addressing the Media at Omalur in Salem this morning, he said, ten lakh rupees each will be given by the Government to the families of those who died due to the storm.

He said, assessment of the damages will be made at the earliest by the administration and a report will be submitted to the Centre for relief aid.

Meanwhile, the cyclone Gaza has brought rain in various coastal districts lying on its path. Tiruthuraipoondi in Tiruvarur has received a maximum of 17-centimetre rain in the last 24 hours as said by the Meteorology Department in Chennai.

Muthupettai in the same district has got 16-centimetre rain. Interior districts like Madurai, Theni, Dindigul, Tiruppur, Coimbatore, the Nilgiris, Karur and Namakkal are expected to get widespread rain in the next twenty-four hours.

The MET office chief in Chennai, Dr Balachandran told the press, a new low pressure would form over the central region of the South West Bay by coming 18th, which would intensify into a low-pressure region in the next two days.

He said fishermen can go into the sea from this afternoon, though he cautioned not to go to the southern Bay on 18th and South East Bay from 19th to 20th.

(Featured image : Times Now)