Cyclone Michaung weakens; schools, colleges in Chennai to remain shut tomorrow | Top developments

Tamil Nadu Minister of Housing and Urban Development S. Muthusamy with other officials visits flooded areas in Varadharajapuram Panchayat after heavy rainfall owing to Cyclone Michaung, in Kanchipuram district, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (PTI Photo)

Tall waves crashed into southern coasts over the last two days as the cyclone approached, submerging villages and halting all transportation impacting lives of around 390,000 people. As the Cyclone Michaung made landfall in Andhra Pradesh between Nellore and Kavali on Tuesday, incessant rains lashed Tamil Nadu’s Chennai although weaker in might than what it was like on Monday. The subsequent floods brought the state capital to a standstill, normal life to a halt and also resulted in fatalities and property damage.

1. 01

   17 people killed in Chennai

   The Greater Chennai police, in a release issued on Tuesday, stated that 17 people have so far been reported dead in rain-related incidents triggered by the cyclone in the city.

   The deaths were mostly due to drowning, electrocution, collapsing walls and falling trees.

   Vehicles stuck on a flooded road after heavy rainfall owing to Cyclone Michaung, in Chennai, Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. (PTI Photo)

2. 02

   Uprooted trees, power outages add to citizens' woes

   As the Cyclone Michaung wreaked havoc in Chennai, several parts of the district could sense its fury through the damages caused. Trees were uprooted at at least 69 places at GCP area. Power outages persisted in many regions, adding to residents’ woes. Telecommunication networks also suffered significant disruptions, hindering rescue efforts and communications.

   Read | Chennai battles aftereffects of Cyclone Michaung

   The fishing community has been particularly badly affected, with 1,200 fishing boats completely damaged, and numerous others partially damaged or missing.

3. 03

   Flights, train services cancelled

   The rains led to cancellation of around 300 flights, with the Chennai airport shutting down its airfield.

   The Southern Railways announced cancellation of a number of services and diversion of many others. However, it announced resumption of the suburban services on the Chennai Egmore-Chengalpet and Chennai Beach-Arakkonam routes with frequency of 30 and 45 minutes, respectively.

   Services on the Tiruvottiyur-Sullurpeta line will be operated in an hourly frequency, it said in an update.

   Eleven subways in the metro also remained closed for vehicular movement due to water-logging.

4. 04

   Rescue, relief measures on

   The Greater Chennai Corporation deployed 21,000 staff, supplemented by 5,000 personnel from other districts, for rescue measures. The Army and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) joined forces with state agencies in relief and rescue operations. Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan was among the many who were trapped in the city on Monday. He was rescued by the Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services from Karapakkam. Aamir has been residing in Chennai since October, attending to his ailing mother.

   Actors Aamir Khan and Vishnu Vishal, and others being rescued from a flooded area after heavy rainfall owing to Cyclone Michaung, at Karapakkam in Chennai. (PTI Photo)

   IAF Chetak helicopters were also deployed for flood relief operations in Chennai. Relief material was dropped in the general area of Adyar and close to Chennai Harbour. Two helicopters were pressed to service in the late evening with relief supplies, the Indian Air Force said in a statement.

5. 05

   Situation in Andhra Pradesh; CM directs officials to carry out relief measures

   Trees were uprooted and at least 25 villages inundated in Andhra Pradesh as the cyclone barrelled through the coast of Andhra Pradesh. Authorities evacuated more than 15,000 people to safety ahead of landfall, the Andhra Pradesh government said.

   Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on Tuesday evening to take a stock of the situation and the progress of relief measures with senior officials. "The cyclone has now weakened and all the authorities should focus on bringing normalcy in your respective areas. Be sympathetic to the affected people, put yourselves in their shoes and work on their needs," Reddy said in a statement shared by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

   He directed the officials to provide assistance to people who are returning from the relief camps, along with defect-less rations. From crop protection to purchase of stained and discoloured grains to the supply of seeds at 80 per cent subsidy, everything has to be provided to farmers, said Reddy, noting that the state government stands with them.

   He also directed officials to restore electricity in the affected places on a war-footing and also initiate steps to repair damaged roads, resume transportation services, to focus on sanitation and avoid spread of diseases, news agency PTI reported.

6. 06

   Parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh receive light rain

   The southern districts of Odisha were kept on alert on Tuesday night as the IMD expected the intensity of rains to increase as an aftermath of Cyclone Michaung's landfall in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Light rainfall was recorded in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput, Gajapati, Ganjam, and Kalahandi districts of Odisha till the evening. The intensity is likely to increase overnight, officials said.

   Parts of Chhattisgarh, including Raipur city, meanwhile received light rain due to cyclone Michaung, bringing down the temperature there, the Met department said. Bilaspur, Durg, Bastar and Raipur divisions received light showers.

7. 07

   Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to visit Tamil Nadu Thursday to assess flood situation

   Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit Tamil Nadu Thursday to assess the flood situation in the state and hold a meeting with Chief Minister M K Stalin, news agency PTI quoted the sources.

   Besides holding a meeting with the Chief Minister, Singh, who will travel to Tamil Nadu as a representative of the central government, will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas.

   Officials from the Union Home Ministry will accompany the defence minister during his trip. (PTI)

8. 08

   Telangana districts witness heavy rainfall

   A few places in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana witnessed extremely heavy rainfall, whereas heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places in Mulugu district. Heavy to very heavy rainfall occurred at most places in Bhadradri Kothagudem, Khammam districts, according to news agency PTI.

   The weather department said light to moderate rain or thundershowers are very likely to occur at a few places over Telangana from 1300 hours on December 6 to 0830 hours on December 7.

   Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and gusty winds (30-40 kmph) is very likely to occur at isolated places in Komaram Bheem Asifabad, Mancherial, Peddapally, Jayashankar Bhupalapally, Mulugu, Bhadradri Kothagudem districts of Telangana during the same period.

9. 09

   Schools, colleges to remain shut tomorrow

   Schools and colleges in Chennai will remain closed on December 7, according to news agency PTI.

10. 10

    Progress so far; TN CM takes stock of the situation

    Tamil Nadu authorities have moved 32,158 people to relief camps over two days. Currently, 411 relief centres are operational in the state. As many as 3 lakh packets of food have been distributed in three districts of Tamil Nadu.

    According to the government, power was kept suspended in some areas in Chennai as a "preventive measure" as the cables were under water. The government also asserted that all efforts were being taken to restore normalcy.

    According to PTI, people were seen leaving their homes in areas surrounded with water to safer zones, carrying their children and wading through the stagnant water. They pressed for more boats to ferry people to higher ground.

    Chief Minister M K Stalin also visited some of the affected areas, distributing food and essential commodities to people lodged at a relief centre in the city. He inspected activities undertaken by the city civic body to drain the water, besides writing to the Centre seeking an interim flood relief of Rs 5,060 crore to tide over the situation, PTI reported.

    The Greater Chennai Police has also announced helpline numbers for citizens to contact them for rescue and relief activities. (PTI)