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Cyclone Michaung highlights: Landfall process completed, heavy rains expected in several districts
The current flooding in the city of Chennai and other areas in Southern India is reminiscent of the flooding that took place in Tamil Nadu in 2015 due to a climate pattern known as El Niño which killed at least 290 people
A scene outside the Chennai airport / Twitter/@aaichnairport
Tropical cyclone Michaung which formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal made landfall on the southern coast of Andhra Pradesh (AP), close to the Bapatla district on December 5, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 km per hour, and gusts reaching up to 110 kmph.
The landfall process was completed before 6 p.m. local time.
As per the India Meteorological Department heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and hailstorms have been predicted over several parts of India in the coming days.
A day before landfall, Michaung ravaged the state of Tamil Nadu (TN) which received heavy and isolated rainfall between December 3 and 4, which continued until 08:30 a.m. on December 5.
While the rains stopped, many parts of the city, largely the low-lying areas, remained submerged. The death toll due to rain-related incidents in the city of Chennai, TN, rose to twelve, as per the city police’s latest update. Eleven others were injured, and received treatment in various hospitals, as per a report.
The current flooding in the city of Chennai and other areas in Southern India is reminiscent of the flooding that took place in Tamil Nadu in 2015 due to a climate pattern known as El Niño which killed at least 290 people.
In a social media post, State CM M K. Stalin claimed, “More than the 2015 flood, #CycloneMichaung has resulted in more incessant downpours. We have reduced/prevented loss of life to a great extent due to systematic improvements and comprehensive structural preparations,” as translated by Google.
Speaking of relief measure, Stalin said 61,666 relief camps were established across nine affected cities in the state, including Chennai. Additionally, over 11 lakh food packets, and one lakh milk packets were distributed around the affected areas, Stalin said at a press conference organized after it stopped raining in Chennai.
Twitter/@Bhaskar_basava /
A total of 29 National Defence Rescue Force teams have been deployed in the states of AP, TN, Telangana, and Puducherry to launch rescue and relief operations for the affected people.
Route-clearing operations have already begun in various parts of TN, and certain teams are on standby and will be deployed when needed, according to another report. Plans for setting up medical camps in areas that are water-logged are being worked out by the TN government.
The government is also carrying out work to restore electricity and resume the 5G network in parts of Chennai.
These services were disrupted after several parts in the city were heavily pounded by the rains over two days, and the state government said their main focus is to restore these completely as soon as possible.
As per the latest update, nearly 80 percent of the power supply and 70 per cent of mobile networks have been restored.
While officials are working toward bringing the city back to its feet, it has announced that all colleges, schools, and other educational institutions in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts of Tamil Nadu will remain shut on December 6.
Banks, government departments, and financial institutions in these regions were shut on December 4 and 5. The Odisha government also announced a closure of all primary, upper primary, high schools, and Anganwadi centers in Odisha due to possible rainfall.
With the rains subsiding, the operations at the Chennai airport resumed on the morning of December 5. A day prior, the airport saw a complete shutdown due to the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung, resulting in cancellations of several flights.
AP’s Hyderabad airport experienced flooding as well, and at least 17 inbound and outbound flights from the base were canceled, as of December 5.
Twitter/@aaichnairport / ImageChennai’s Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party asked the central government to assist with INR 5,000 crore (US $1 billion approx.) to rebuild infrastructure in the city and nearby districts. The requests was made in both the Houses of the Indian parliament.
Meta title – cyclone michaung chennai andhra pradesh landfall rescue power supply
Meta description – The death toll resulting from rain-related incidents caused by tropical cyclone Michaung rose to 12, as per the latest update. Rainfall is predicted to affect certain regions of southern India for the next few days.
– Twitter/@chennaipolice_ / Image
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