The Indian Meteorological Department on Thursday said that severe cyclonic storm Nivar weakened into a cyclonic storm over north-coastal Tamil Nadu. At least three people died due to the cyclone in the state.

Puducherry, meanwhile, revoked prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Cyclone Nivar began its landfall around 11.30 pm on Wednesday and crossed the Puducherry coast before 2.30 am on Thursday. Nivar caused heavy rain and strong winds and made the governments of Puducherry and Tamil Nadu declare public holidays. It also disrupted air, train, and railway services.

Tamil Nadu’s Disaster Management Minister RB Udhayakumar said that over 1.45 lakh people have been shifted to 1,516 relief camps across the state as a precaution.

Here are district-wise helpline numbers in Tamil Nadu

Disaster management control room numbers are – 1077, (044)-27237207.

Here are the top updates of the day

7.57 pm: Over 1,000 trees have been uprooted in Tamil Nadu and some low-lying areas marooned due to water-logging following heavy rains after the landfall, reports PTI.

7.50 pm: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami says around 52,000 people stayed in camps that were set up in Cuddalore district due to the cyclone, reports ANI. “77 electric polls were uprooted that have been cleared, 1,500 hectares of farmland have been damaged in the district...We’re assessing damage, funds will be released accordingly,” he adds.

6.33 pm: Cyclone Nivar will weaken into a deep depression in the next six hours and into a depression in the subsequent six hours, the Ministry of Earth Science says in a release.

3.16 pm: Nivar weakens into a cyclonic storm.

3.10 pm: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast faced the brunt of the very severe cyclonic storm Nivar in the early hours of Thursday.

Read our photo story here As Cyclone Nivar makes landfall, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry face the brunt

3.06 pm: Tamil Nadu Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar tells NDTV that the state suffered minimum loss of life and infrastructure due to a planned approach.

3.03 pm: Puducherry has now revoked the prohibitory order, The Hindu reported.

12.17 pm: Puducherry extends prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure till 6 pm on Thursday, according to The Hindu.

12.13 pm: Union Home Minister Amit Shah says the Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.

12.11 pm: Three people have died due to the cyclone in Tamil Nadu, The Hindu reports.

12.06 pm: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami will visit Cuddalore district later in the day, The Hindu reports. Cuddalore has been the the worst-hit by Cyclone Nivar in Tamil Nadu. The district received 246 millimetres of rainfall till 2 am on Wednesday.

10.19 am: Tamil Nadu declares public holiday in 16 districts including Chennai, The Indian Express reports.

10.02 am: The National Disaster Response Force clears roads in Cuddalore. At least 150 trees have been uprooted across Tamil Nadu, according to PTI.

9.58 am: The Chennai airport resumes flights, The Indian Express reports.

9.56 am: A video shows strong winds tearing through Chennai.

7.46 am: Early on Thursday, Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority has issued a severe weather warning for the state, reports ANI.

7.30 am: Rainfall continues in Puducherry on Thursday morning, reports ANI.

7.15 am: Cuddalore records the highest rainfall at 24.6 cm after Puducherry, which has received 23.7 cm. Chennai has recorded 8.9 cm rain. This was between 8.30 am on Wednesday and 2.30 am on Thursday, according to The Indian Express.

7.10 am: Status of the cyclonic storm as shown in a graphic by the weather department.

7.05 am: “Over 1.45 lakh people have been shifted to 1,516 relief camps across the state as a precaution,” Tamil Nadu’s Disaster Management Minister RB Udhayakumar, tells Reuters.

7 am: The IMD predicts that Cyclone Nivar will move northwest wards and weaken into cyclonic storm during the next three hours.

Here are updates from Wednesday:

  1. Cyclone Nivar made landfall late into the night, but then downgraded into a “severe” cyclonic storm. The wind speed is expected to be between 120 kmph and 130 kmph, it said.
  2. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami announced a public holiday in 13 districts of the state for Thursday.
  3. Operations at the Chennai airport will be stopped from 7 pm on Wednesday to 7 am on Thursday, and metro services too will be suspended by 8 pm.
  4. The Indian Air Force set up a disaster management unit with 10 helicopters on standby in Puducherry to help rescue teams in relief work in the Union territory and neighbouring Tamil Nadu.
  5. The National Disaster Response Force deployed 30 teams on the ground in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh as the cyclone moved ahead from the Bay of Bengal towards the coastal areas.