Tamilnadu; Cyclone Nivar, which strengthened into a very intense cyclonic storm before it hit India’s southern coast on early Thursday, led to the demise of five people and the uprooting of trees and power lines in the area. The cyclone caused landfall 30 km north of Puducherry last night fetching torrential rain and blowing winds with an estimated velocity of 120-130 kmph going up to 145 kmph. Nivar weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after it struck the coast near Puducherry, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
At least five people were killed in and around Chennai, trees uprooted and some low-lying areas were flooded following heavy rains in Puducherry and Tamil Nadu. Later, Nivar depleted into a cyclonic storm and also into a deep depression by the afternoon. Union Home Minister Amit Shah talked to the chief ministers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and ensured them all possible help from the government. The cyclone led to the snapping of aloft electricity cables in a few places and residents also complained of internet outages. Low lying neighborhoods in Chennai, including those in suburban Irumbuliyur, Mudichur, and Urapakkam, detected flooding and water entered the houses.
Rescue forces transported cooked food to the people using inflatable boats. The residents of some of the impacted areas moved to the homes of their relatives, while others persisted to stay put fighting the chances. Airport functions, Metrorail and bus transport, which were discontinued due to the cyclone, resumed during the day. Puducherry saw heavy rains and floods in some parts, but there was no information of loss of life due to the cyclone. On Thursday noon, prohibitory directives, that had been in power in the union territory since November 24 to control movement and gathering of people, were removed.
The IMD said Nivar’s intensity had fallen to 85 to 95 kph (53 to 59 mph) and is hoped to weaken further. Tamil Nadu is likely to receive another attack of very heavy rainfall as a fresh low-pressure area is anticipated to form in the Bay of Bengal from November 29 onward. Thousands of people were evacuated from low-lying areas of Tamil Nadu beforehand of the storm’s landfall.
The assessed loss to agriculture and other sectors due to cyclone Nivar has been tentatively placed at Rs 400 crore and a full review is being made, Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said after visiting localities impacted by the cyclonic storm when it made landfall in the early hours. Paddy crops over an area of 820 hectares besides vegetables on 200 hectares, sugarcane on 170 hectares, 55 hectares of banana crop, and betel leaf grown on seven hectares had been severely affected by the torrential rains, the chief minister said.
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