Cyclone Mandous wreaks havoc

As many as five people were killed in the state and close to 400 trees were uprooted in Chennai as cyclone Mandous made a landfall near Mamallapuram during the early morning hours of Saturday. Chennai and surrounding areas have witnessed wind speeds of 65 -75 kmph gushing to 85 kmph.

The cyclone took about five hours to complete the landfall and weaken into a deep depression after leaving the remains of destruction in the coastal areas. IMD in its forecast said that the deep depression would move towards west-northwest before weakening into a depression by Saturday afternoon. 

It is expected to bring heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated parts. Speaking to reporters, revenue minister KKSSR Ramachandran said that five people have lost their lives due to cyclone-related incidents in the state and of which, two from Chennai – Lakshmi, 45, a resident of Madipakkam and Rajendran, 25, a resident of Ramnagar - died of electrocution. The city has also witnessed wall collapse incidents and two were undergoing treatment in hospitals.

Claiming that no major damages were reported in the state due to the cyclone, he said that about 30,000 people were accommodated in 205 temporary relief centres
The Greater Chennai Corporation has launched an operation to clear the debris and restore normalcy in the city. Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) has started working to restore power in the city which was suspended on Friday after the city witnessed heavy rainfall. Power supply was restored in many parts of the city after the cyclone made a landfall.

According to weathermen, Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam in the city recorded more than 10 cm of rainfall each in the last 24 hours. Neighbouring districts including Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu had received heavy rainfall on Friday. While Tiruttani received 10 cm of rainfall, Sholinganallur, Padur and Poonammalle received 7.2 cm, 10.8 cm and 9.9 cm of rainfall respectively.

Meanwhile Chief Minister MK Stalin visited some of the worst-affected areas including Kettivakkam, Palavakkam, Pannaiyur and Kasimedu harbour and inspected the relief operations taken in the city. He interacted with the public and distributed relief materials. 

The state government has sent National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) forces to cyclone-affected districts including Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Tiruvarur, Cuddalore, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam apart from Chennai.

14 teams comprise 476 personnel. Three teams comprising 121 personnel were deployed in Chengalpattu as the landfall was made near Mamallapuram and a round the clock control room was set up in Arakkonam by NDRF to monitor the situation. 

As incessant rainfall is predicted on Saturday, educational institutions were declared holidays in 15 districts including Ranipet, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Thiruvallur, Vellore, Villupuram, Cuddalore and Krishnagiri.