At least eight people have been killed due to heavy rains lashing Tamil Nadu’s Chennai under the influence of Cyclone Michaung, which is expected to make landfall between Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore and Machilipatnam on Tuesday afternoon.
Some bodies have been identified, while others remain unknown, according to Chennai Police. An unidentified body was found at the platform near the Vaidyanathan flyover (H-5 New Washermenpet PS limits) and was sent to Government Stanley Hospital.
Another victim, Ganesan from Thuraipakkam, was electrocuted while walking to his house at Selva Vinayagar Koil Street, Pandiyan Nagar. Numerous incidents of drowning and electrocution have been reported under the Chennai police limits. This morning, 54 families were rescued from BRN Garden in N-3 Muthialpet PS limits.
Cyclonic Storm Michaung is poised to be the first storm to make landfall in Andhra Pradesh in two years. Earlier, Cyclone Gulab made landfall in the state in September 2021. The storm is likely to hit near Bapatla in Andhra Pradesh around noon on December 5. Michaung is expected to escalate to severe cyclonic levels, with wind speeds reaching a maximum sustained rate of 90-100 kmph and gusting up to 110 kmph.
Simultaneously, Chennai faced devastating consequences as heavy rainfall induced by the cyclone inundated significant areas of the city, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of at least eight individuals in rain-related incidents on Monday.
The Chennai Meteorological Centre predicted moderate to light rainfall across ten districts in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday morning.
“Light thunderstorms and lightning with moderate rain are very likely over Chennai, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Ranipet, and Vellore districts of Tamil Nadu. It is also very likely over isolated places in Tirupattur, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram, and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu,” the Regional Centre stated in a release.
A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal transformed into a severe cyclonic storm named ‘Michuang’ off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts. It is likely to cross the south Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam on Tuesday morning as a severe cyclonic storm, as informed by the weather department.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inquired about the damage caused by the heavy showers and the state’s preparedness for the cyclone’s aftermath. He also checked on ongoing relief operations and facilities for civilians in relief camps during a call to state ministers Sekar Babu, KN Nehru, and EV Velu, and DMK MLAs Dr. Ezhilan, Karunanidhi, E Parandaman, and S Arvind Ramesh.
(With ANI inputs)