Two persons were killed as heavy rains accompanied by high velocity winds on Monday pounded the city and coastal districts of north Tamil Nadu due to severe cyclonic storm “Vardah” which began making landfall near here, uprooting hundreds of trees, disrupting land and air transport and throwing normal life out of gear
“The landfall process of cyclone Vardah has begun,” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said
According to M Mohapatra, Additional Director General (Services) of IMD, the “eye” of the Cyclone is 20 kms off Chennai
“The wind speed near Chennai 90-100 kmph. Heavy rains and storm surge is expected. Landfall process has commenced at 2 PM. The cyclone will cross between 2-5 PM,” Mohapatra said
Power supply was suspended in many parts of these regions as a precautionary measure. About 8,000 people from low lying areas in north Chennai, Pazhaverkadu in Tiruvallur district and villages off Mamallapuram, in Kanchipuram district were safely evacuated to 95 relief shelters, officials said
Flight operations at the airport here have been suspended till 5 PM
Long distance buses have been stalled and traffic came to a grinding halt in most areas with uprooted trees and electric poles blocking the roads
All suburban train services have also been suspended
Southern Railway announced cancellation of all 17 trains originating from Chennai central, as well as Egmore
State Principal Secretary (Revenue Administration) K Satyagopal said “human loss is two”, without elaborating
In a statement, he said 260 trees and 37 electric poles had fallen and 190 tress removed. As many 224 roads were blocked and 24 huts damaged.
From Agencies, Feature image courtesy ibtimes
