The city is restoring itself back as flights have been resumed and power has been restored in Chennai on Tuesday after Cyclone Vardah battered the Tamil Nadu coast on Monday. The natural disaster has killed around 10 people so far and forced thousands to flee their homes.
Although the cyclone has weakened after crossing land, the Met office predicted heavy rain in the next 12 hours. The schools and colleges are shut for a second day today in Chennai and neighbouring districts.
Here are the 10 key developments:
- Cyclone Vardah had hit coastal Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh making landfall about 15 km from Chennai on Monday. It displaced about 4000 trees and many power lines. On Tuesday morning, concerned authorities are clearing uprooted trees from the roads and many of the city’s major roads are still flooded.
- Ten people have died in Chennai. Tamil Nadu chief minister O Pannerselvam announced compensation. In Andhra Pradesh, two people have died as heavy rain lash the region.
- Authorities in Nellore district declared holiday for educational institutions on Tuesday.
- Pannerselvam said, over 10,000 people have been evacuated from near the sea. More than 9,000 people were moved to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh.
- Flight operations at the Chennai airport were resumed this morning.
- Power supply was restored today. Considering the strong winds and heavy rain that the cyclone brought, it was suspended as precautionary measures on Monday. However, Vardah tumbled many electricity poles and there are power cuts in some parts.
- Cyclone Vardah had hit the coast with a wind speed of 120 kmph. It teared off many hoardings and glass panels blew off the facade of a five-star hotel in Chennai.
- The Met office has forecast heavy rain in parts of Tamil Nadu and in Karnataka where the cyclone has reached today.
- CM O Panneerselvam, who was persistently monitoring the situation, has announced that ₹4 lakh to relatives of those who died due to cyclone Vardah. Over 10,000 people have been evacuated from near the sea, said Mr Pannneerselvam. Over 9,400 people were moved to relief camps in Andhra Pradesh.
- On Tuesday, light showers were reported from Bengaluru. The Cyclone will pass over to south Goa on Wednesday.
