NEW DELHI, Nov 26: At least three people are feared killed even as “very severe” cyclonic storm “Nivar” was considerably weakened and virtually spared southern India after making landfall at Puducherry late on Wednesday night.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm lay centered over north coastal Tamil Nadu, about 50 km north- northwest of Puducherry maintaining a wind speed of 85 to 95 kmph on Thursday afternoon and would move northwest wards and weaken further into a cyclonic storm.
Puducherry withdrew section 144 and other restrictions imposed on the people in anticipation of the cyclonic storm after it passed over the union territory with much lesser harm than feared.
Parts of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, including capital city of Chennai witnessed persistent rains and strong winds, resulting in property damage due to water-logging and fallen trees. Thousands of people have been evacuated to storm shelters across Tamil Nadu. Many districts in Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry have declared a holiday on Thursday.
Torrential rains under the impact of the cyclone lashed the hill town of Tirumala in the last couple of days, filling all the major reservoirs up to their full capacity. A maximum of 125 mm of rainfall was recorded in the heart of the town in the last 24 hours ending at 8 a.m. on Thursday while the peripheral and forest areas where the drinking water projects are located recorded a rainfall between 155 mm to 313 mm.
Normal life was thrown out of gear as heavy to extremely heavy rainfall ranging from 6 cm to 30 cm battered at least half of Andhra Pradesh under the influence of cyclone Nivar, leaving one dead.
Another farmer was feared washed away while NDRF personnel rescued two others from a reservoir in Chittoor district.
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, SPS Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, Krishna, Prakasam and East Godavari districts received heavy to extremely heavy rainfall at more than 177 places. Other districts like Anantapuramu, Kurnool, Guntur and West Godavari were also receiving moderate to heavy rainfall under Nivar’s impact.
(Manas Dasgupta)