Trains cancelled, holiday declared as TN braces for Cyclone Michaung

Heavy showers continued to pound Chennai and nearby districts on Monday (December 4), with low-lying areas and many residential parts getting inundated even as civic agency personnel were involved in clearing the stagnant water. Cyclonic storm Michaung is likely to intensify and reach north Tamil Nadu coast on Monday before its landfall on Tuesday in southern Andhra Pradesh.

Several areas in the city saw power outage and internet disruption as torrential rains accompanied by squally winds continued to lash the region.

Chennai airport operations were suspended from 9.40 am to 11.40 am. As many as 70 flights arriving to and departing from the airport were cancelled owing to non-stop rains. The runway and tarmac also remain shut, sources said.

The Tamil Nadu government on Sunday (December 3) said all arrangements have been made to handle the situation. The government declared Monday a public holiday and urged private companies to encourage the work-from-home option for its employees in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu districts.

Chennai and nearby Chengalpet, Kancheepuram, and Tiruvallur districts, among others, received widespread rains since late Sunday.

Trains cancelled

The railways have cancelled 118 trains. However, essential services such as milk supply and healthcare facilities would be operational.

“In view of water flowing above danger level, the bridge no.14 between Basin bridge and Vyasarpadi has been suspended on account of safety reasons,” and six trains originating from the Dr MGR Chennai Central to destinations, including Coimbatore and Mysuru, were cancelled on Monday morning, the Southern Railway said, adding full refund shall be granted to all passengers of the above trains.

As many as 14 subways in the city have been closed due to inundation, the city police said.

In 11 places, uprooted trees were removed.

At the airport, domestic outbound services, including to destinations like Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram, were cancelled. International services, including to Dubai and Sri Lanka, were cancelled by a private carrier, officials said. Three arriving international services were diverted to Bengaluru.

At Velachery in Chennai, a portion of land reportedly gave way, leading to a deep pit and some people were trapped.

All steps taken: Stalin

Chief Minister MK Stalin reviewed the preparatory measures at the state emergency operation centre in Chennai and said 685 people from vulnerable areas in Tiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, and Chengelpet districts have been housed in 11 relief camps.

Answering a question, he told reporters that, if needed, the central government’s support would be sought. He assured the people that all steps have been taken to tackle the situation.

As heavy rainfall is expected on Monday and Tuesday, the government said it has deployed disaster response force personnel in adequate numbers, and relief centres are also ready to house people of vulnerable areas.

The government, in an official release, said as many as 121 multipurpose centres and 4,967 relief camps with all basic amenities are ready in northern and other coastal regions of the state, besides the Cauvery delta areas.

In Chennai alone, 162 relief centres are ready and, in one such facility, 348 people have been housed. Also, 714 water pumps are ready for use in low-lying areas.

The TN Disaster Response Force’s 14 teams, comprising 350 personnel and National Disaster Response Force’s nine teams of 225 personnel have been stationed in coastal regions of Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet, and Chennai for relief and rescue operations.

The state and district-level emergency operation centres are functional round the clock with additional staff. For help, the control rooms may be contacted at 1070 (state), 1077 (district) and 94458 69848 (WhatsApp).

Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management KKSSR Ramachandran and Electricity Minister Thangam Thennarasu held inspections on the state’s preparedness to handle the situation.

Thennarasu said the government is prepared with adequate workers as well as equipment. While 1,500 workers are on standby, a stock of more than 3,00,000 electricity poles is in inventory, apart from requisite vehicles and machinery such as cranes.

The general public and fishermen have been alerted about the cyclonic storm and over 1,000 boats have docked at fishing harbours including Krishnampattinam.

About Michaung

The India Meteorological Department said the system, which moved north-westwards with a speed of 5 kmph in six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm, lay centred about 300 km east-southeast of Puducherry, 310 km southeast of Chennai, 440 km southeast of Nellore, 550 km south-southeast of Bapatla, and 550 km south-southeast of Machilipatnam at 5.30 am on Monday.

It is likely to continue to move north-westwards, intensify further and reach the west-central Bay of Bengal off south Andhra Pradesh and adjoining north Tamil Nadu coasts by December 4 forenoon.

“Thereafter, it would move nearly northwards almost parallel and close to the south Andhra Pradesh coast and cross the South Andhra Pradesh coast between Nellore and Machilipatnam during the forenoon of December 5 as a cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 80-90 kmph gusting to 100 kmph,” the bulletin said.

For north coastal Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, the IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall at most places, heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall on December 3 and 4 apart from isolated heavy rainfall on December 5.

Gale wind speed reaching 65-75 kmph gusting to 85 kmph prevails over southwest Bay of Bengal. It is likely to gradually increase in speed, becoming 70-80 kmph, gusting to 90 kmph from December 3 evening for a subsequent 12 hours. It will gradually decrease thereafter.

The government said the Greater Chennai Corporation commissioner and district collectors have been advised to house people living in vulnerable areas in cyclone shelters.

People living in low lying areas have been asked to reach the cyclone shelters in advance. The public has been cautioned against going near waterbodies and taking selfies or parking vehicles under trees.

Rain forecast for Odisha

Thereafter, the system could result in heavy rains in most parts of southern Odisha and coastal regions of the state, said the IMD. The name Michaung was suggested by Myanmar and it means strength or resilience.

Odisha will experience light to moderate rainfall at most places, while isolated heavy rainfall is likely over south coastal and adjoining south interior Odisha during December 4-6 with isolated very heavy rainfall over the same region on December 5.

“Under the influence of the system, rain may resume in Odisha on December 3 with its intensity increasing in the next three days,” said an official at the Regional Metrological Centre, Bhubaneswar, adding that light to moderate rain and thundershower may occur at a few places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapti, Ganjam at one or two places in districts of coastal Odisha, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.

IMD warnings

The IMD issued Yellow Warning (be updated) as heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) is likely at one or two places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam on December 4. Similarly, it said that light to moderate rain and thundershowers may also occur at many places in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapti, Ganjam, Puri, at a few places in Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Khurda, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and at one or two places in remaining parts of the state.

For December 5, the IMD issued Orange warning (be prepared) and forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall (7 to 20 cm) may occur at one or two places in the five districts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati, and Ganjam.

It also issued Yellow Warning (be updated) and forecast heavy rainfall (7 to 11 cm) is also likely at one or two places in Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Puri.

This apart, it forecast light to moderate rain and thundershower is expected at most places in south coastal Odisha, Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and at many places in south interior Odisha, north coastal Odisha and at a few places in north interior Odisha.

Odisha districts on alert

Meanwhile, the state government has put all the coastal and southern district collectors on alert and cancelled the leave of field workers under the agriculture department.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea till further notice as the sea condition will remain rough to very rough.

The IMD said squally wind speed reaching 35-45 kmph gusting to 55 kmph is likely from December 4 evening along and off Odisha coast (Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur), and gradually increase becoming 40-50 kmph gusting to 60 kmph from December 5 evening for subsequent 12 hours.

It would gradually decrease thereafter. Also, strong surface wind speed reaching 30-40 kmph gusting to 50 kmph is likely over Malkangiri, Koraput and Rayagada districts on December 5.

All ports in Odisha have been asked to hoist distant cautionary signal I, the IMD said.

The East Coast Railway (ECoR) has cancelled 60 trains and set up a round-the-clock helpline for providing information and assistance to passengers.

According to officials, ECoR has planned for early restoration of train traffic and tracks if affected by the cyclone.

Disaster management cells have been opened at ECoR headquarters at Rail Sadan in Bhubaneswar and at the divisional headquarters in Visakhapatnam, Khurda Road, and Sambalpur.

The arrangements have been made based on Met department predictions and previous experiences of disaster management, the ECoR said in a statement.

ECoR general manager Manoj Sharma has advised officials to remain alert and continuously monitor vulnerable locations for early mobilisation of resources for quick restoration of tracks, signalling systems and other installations.

(With agency inputs)