The India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued a high flash flood warning for isolated places in southern Andhra Pradesh as Cyclone Michaung completed its landfall process in the state’s Bapatla district.
The severe cyclonic storm will gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm. It is then projected to move northwards.
The coastal districts of Guntur, Prakasam and Krishna have been warned of high flash flood risk by the weather department. The Meteorological department has also warned of moderate flash flood risk for West Godavari, Guntur, Kurnool, Prakasam and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh and Nalgonda, Suryapet, Khammam, Bhadradri Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts of Telangana.
National and State Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in the Bapatla district.
“We have deployed 12 teams along the Andhra coast right from Tirupati to Vishakhapatnam,” Zahid Khan, Commandant of the National Disaster Response Force told ANI. “We are ready for relief operations.”
At least 10 coastal districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha will bear the brunt of the cyclone.
The region is likely to face maximum sustained wind speed of 90 kms per hour to 110 kms per hour, the weather department said.
At least 9,500 residents in Andhra Pradesh have been shifted to 211 relief camps in the state, reported The Indian Express.
Flooding in Chennai
The rains have left several housing localities and low-lying areas in Chennai flooded with, Velachery and Pallikaranai among severely hit.
This is the highest rainfall Chennai has received since December 2015, when the city had witnessed heavy downpour followed by floods, said weather blogger Pradeep John on X.
The heavy downpour, however, stopped on Monday night and water had started draining out of the streets.
At least eight people have died in Chennai since Monday in connection with the rain-related incidents, including electrocution, tree falls and wall collapses, The New Indian Express reported.
This included two labourers who died after a wall collapse in the Kanathur area. Two others died by electrocution in separate incidents in Esplanade and Thoraipakkam. A man died after a tree fell on him while he was riding a motorcycle in Adyar.
Forty-three relief centres were being operated to accommodate 2,477 persons, the Greater Chennai Corporation said on Monday night.
The Tamil Nadu government declared Tuesday a public holiday in view of the situation that arose due to rains. All educational institutions and government offices will remain closed.
The government has appealed to the private sector to allow the employees to work from home on Tuesday in the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattuon.
The Chennai airport resumed departure and arrival services at 9 am on Tuesday, the airfield authority said. It was shut on Monday evening after the runway was inundated due to heavy rains.
The Southern Railway also cancelled several long-distance trains, The Hindu reported. Trains coming to Chennai were terminated at Chengalpattu, a town located outside the city.
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