Cyclone Thane batters Tamil Nadu, Puducherry; toll rises to 42

Mtoday news / CNN-IBN

Puducherry, Chennai, Dec 31:   Relief operations were launched on war-footing to bring back normalcy in cyclone Thane battered Tamil Nadu’s Cuddalore district and the adjacent Puducherry, as the toll caused by the severe storm mounted to 42 on Saturday.

As the administrative machinery was put in top gear, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said nine more people have died in rain related incidents, taking the toll to 42, following the severe cyclonic storm that crossed Tamil Nadu coast on Friday.

She said five people were killed in Cuddalore, the worst affected district, three in Kancheepuram and one in Theni. She also announced a solatium of Rs two lakh each to those killed.

Thane, packed with wind speeds of about 135 kmph, claimed 33 lives and wreaked havoc,particularly in Cuddalore and Union territory of Puducherry, leaving around 20,000 people homeless on Friday.

 

Parts of Cuddalore district wore a battered look with hundreds of uprooted trees and electric posts strewn across roads. Essential items like milk became scarce while officials started supply of drinking water through 60 tankers.

Rural Industries Minister MC Sampath, overseeing relief operations, said normalcy would be restored in a couple of days in Cuddalore district.

District Collector Amuthavalli said even as communication lines remained affected, over 5000 houses of fishermen had been damaged.

"We don’t know what is happening in the outside world. All that we have been hearing since last night is the howling of the wind. Several trees have fallen down. Even mobile phone signals are not proper," S Ravikumar, a Puducherry resident.

 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said the cyclone claimed 26 lives in four districts in the state and released Rs 150 crore for immediate relief works.

The tiny Puducherry was cut off from neighbouring districts in Tamil Nadu with the uprooted trees blocking road traffic.

The cyclone also disrupted rail and air operations with services cancelled or rescheduled. Flights to international destinations including the middle-east and Malaysia from Chennai were cancelled following the inclement weather.

 

 

A comprehensive assessment of the damage done by Cyclone Thane will take some more time. The immediate danger of loss to life has passed. But a question mark hangs over the future for thousands of fishermen along the coast who have lost or had their catamarans and boats damaged.

Chennai helpline numbers:

Chennai Corporation - 1913, 25619237; Kancheepuram district administration - 1077, Police control room - 9445465536, 27238001; Tiruvallur district administration - 27661200; Police control room - 27661010.