Video Editor: Sandeep Suman
Producer: Smitha TK
Cyclone Nivar made landfall between Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at Marakkanam, after 10.30 pm on Wednesday, 25 November, as a very severe cyclonic storm, and has now weakened into a severe cyclonic storm.
Several areas in Chennai, Puducherry, Nagapattinam, Vellore, Chengalpattu, Karaikal have reported severe waterlogging. District corporation officers have been working round the clock to ensure uprooted trees and electric lines are cleared.
Severe thunderstorm with heavy rain likely to occur over Tiruvannamalai, Cuddalore, Kallakurichi and Villuppuram within the next three hours. Thunderstorms with moderate rains is likely to occur over Ariyalur, Dharmapuri, Dindigul, Krishnagiri, Mayiladathurai, Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Salem, Thanjavur, Thiruvallur, Vellore, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Thirupattur, Trichy and Chennai.
More than a lakh people have been evacuated from Puducherry alone and a public holiday for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry till Thursday. Cuddalore and Nagapattinam have accounted for the most number of evacuations. These districts have been put on high alert in the event of flooding.
Over 267 trees have fallen in Chennai and 223 trees have been cleared by Chennai Corporation. All power outage issues in the city to be sorted by noon.
Government officials in Chennai released water from the major reservoir Chembarambakkam. Authorities have assured everything is under control and said the preemptive measure was taken to avoid a flooding situation like 2015.
Vessels in the city's port have been moved to sea and port operations have been suspended. Fishermen have been advised to not venture into the sea and told to tie down their boats because of the strong winds.
Chennai airport was shut from 7 pm on Wednesday to 7 am on Thursday and services to remain suspended, until further notice. Metro, bus and train services suspended in most districts in the state.
Around 1,200 National Disaster Response Force personnel have been stationed in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh to oversee relief and rescue efforts.
Andhra Pradesh also sounded an alert as the cyclone is expected to move inland. Nellore, Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool and Anantpur to receive heavy rainfall.
Yellow alert has been issued for several districts in Karnataka. An important thing to note is that cyclones tend to weaken rapidly after landfall as the ocean heat and moisture feeding the system is cut-off. Therefore, the devastating winds that a cyclone carries will not be hampering Bengaluru.
Other districts like Chamarajanagar, Chikkaballapur, Hassan, Kolar, Mandya, Mysuru, Ramanagara, and Tumkur are also under yellow alert for the next two days. The primary reason for the alert is the possibility of heavy rainfall in the range of 60-120 mm on these two days.
Even after the storm calms down, there is much to worry for Tamil Nadu and Puducherry as many key roads are waterlogged, and there has been a lot of damage to property, human life. Stay indoors. Stay safe.
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