After a delayed start, the northeast monsoon has claimed 28 lives across Tamil Nadu in the last three days, including at least 10 on Wednesday. Unofficial sources said the toll has gone up to 40. Several places in the southern districts recorded extremely heavy rainfall that even touched 330 mm, brought in by cyclonic storm Nisha that is expected to cross the state on Wednesday wreaking further damage in the rain ravaged coastal districts.Cyclonic storm Nisha was developed 50 km off the Nagapattinam coast, and is expected to cross the state between Vedaranyam and Nagapttinam. The Regional Meteorological Department office in Chennai has issued a warning that heavy to extremely heavy rain (touching over 250 mm), assisted by gale with speeds reaching 65-85 km per hour, is expected in the next 24 hours. The warning issued to fishermen advised them not to venture into the sea in view of the winds expected to gain up to 90 km per hour. The fishing community has already been hit hard by the choppy waters, due to which they are staying off the sea for the past three days.Though it was expected to begin by the last week of October as in normal, the monsoon became active only three days ago. Thousands of people who were caught in the floods were evacuated from the low-lying regions of the coastal areas, even as education institutions in many of the badly affected districts were given a holiday in view of the gathering storm. At many places, the government schools were shut to accommodate the thousands who were evacuated.As the death toll shot up on Wednesday due to drowning, electrocution and building collapses, authorities have been taking preventive measures like large-scale evacuation and cutting off the power lines. Heavy rains also led to widespread damage and loss of livelihood in Tamil Nadu, affecting everyone from farmers to film crew. The rains also hit the power production at the thermal power plant in Neyveli, badly affecting the severely power starved state.
