Ten killed as cyclone hits Tamil Nadu

Chennai/Hyderabad: Nov 10: Ten people died in rains that tormented Tamil Nadu, as the deep depression hit the land North of Puducherry on Monday night.

The depression gathered force over the Bay of Bengal and brought heavy rain before hitting the coast, resulting in heavy floods and winds of 70 kmph. Fierce winds uprooted several hundred trees and damaged highway roads.

The wind uprooted hundreds of trees and damaged large stretches of highways. "The depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal has crossed North of Puducherry at about 7.30 pm," a senior Met official said.

“A 40-member National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) led by Lt Commandant Ghani is carrying out relief and rescue work in the worst hit areas,” NDRF Commandant Rekha Nambiar told Deccan Herald, adding the well-trained force is fully equipped to handle any situation. Public transport, meanwhile, has come to a halt in many districts with just a handful of state transport busses pressed into service.

In Chennai, suburban trains and the MRTS have been suspended due to waterlogging in the tracks, while arrival of trains from the southern districts was delayed for several hours.

Services of the heritage Nilgiris Mountain Rail (NMR) in Nilgiris district were cancelled for two days from Monday following heavy landslide on the track at several places.

Bad weather forced authorities to reschedule nearly 40 flights from Chennai international and domestic airports on Monday morning.

Rain and stormy weather also forced the government to declare a holiday for schools and educational institutions, including privately run colleges.

The downpour has brought large amounts of water to major reservoirs such as Thamarabharani and Bhavanisagar, which are overflowing. After issuing flood alert, authorities evacuated more than 10,000 people across the state from low-lying areas to shelters.

Two persons killed and two injured when a restaurant’s wall collapsed near the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR), while a two-year-old girl died on the spot when a portion of the wall fell on her in Chennai. Two others in Kanchipuram district also died of wall collapse.

A 75-year-old woman in Pudukottai died of electrocution, while two persons perished in thunder strike in Cuddalore district, and a 21-year-old man drowned in flood stream near Thiruvallur.

A fisherman who ignored met office warning and went for fishing was drowned and six others were missing when their boat capsized mid sea near Kasimedu.

Earlier

In 2011, a similar cyclonic storm named Thane killed 40 people as it crossed the Cuddalore coast. Heavy rain pounded Tirumala, parts of Chitoor and Prakasam districts, throwing normal life out of gear Boulders fell on Tirumala ghat road, prompting authorities to divert traffic through Kanuma ghat road.

Authorities used cranes to remove the boulders and restore traffic later. Pilgrims had to wade through water that flooded the walkway.

Heavy rains also affected normal life in Chandragiri, Satyavedu, Palamaneru and Madanapalle of Chitoor district. Heavy inflow of water was reported into Swarnamukhi River near Srinivasamangapuram in the district.

Many places in coastal Prakasam district such as Ongole, Chirala, Vetapalem and Chinaganjam have been witnessing heavy downpours since Monday morning. District collector Sujatha Sharma asked the revenue staff to be in readiness to evacuate those in low lying areas at short notice.

Tides up to five metre in height and squally winds were seen in Vadrevu port area, while the rains have dampened cracker sales in coastal areas a day before Deepavali.