With Cyclone Mandous having made its landfall off the coast of Mammallapuram in Tamil Nadu on Saturday morning, the Indian Meteorological Department has said that it will weaken into a depression by noon of December 10.
Andhra Pradesh braces for the storm
Mandous moved northwestwards and heavy rains lashed several parts of south coastal and Rayalaseema districts of Andhra Pradesh early on Saturday. According to a status report of the AP government, Naidupeta in Tirupati district received the highest rainfall at 281.5 mm during the past 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Saturday.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting with officials concerned on the cyclone-related rains. He instructed the collectors of SPSR Nellore, Tirupati, Chittoor and Annamayya districts to be on alert and open relief camps wherever there is a need.
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Reddy also directed the officials to ensure people would not venture out in those areas where heavy rains are expected. As a precautionary measure, the state government shifted 190 people to 28 relief camps in Tirupati district.
SPSR Nellore and Tirupati districts were placed on alert due to possibility of flash floods in the minor rivers Kandaleru, Maneru and Swarnamuki, according to a government report. As many as 150 SDRF and 95 NDRF personnel have been deployed in four districts to be pressed into service in case of any eventuality.
Cyclone alert messages have been sent through common alert protocol (CAP) to as many as 89 lakh subscribers spread across the six districts which are likely to be affected due to heavy rains during December 8-10, according to official information.
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Damages reported in Tamil Nadu
Heavy showers lashed parts of Tamil Nadu on Friday before Mandous made its landfall near Mahabalipuram near Chennai early on Saturday. The weather system impacted the city and its neighbourhoods, uprooting a number of trees. Power remained suspended in many parts of the city and the surroundings.
Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K K S S R Ramachandran, citing initial estimates, said there was no major damage as expected. Over 9,000 persons have been lodged in 205 relief centres, he added.
According to the city police, nearly 100 trees fell in different parts of the metro and 52 have been removed in coordination with its personnel. Power poles fell down in five locations and three had been cleared.
Vehicular traffic, which has been suspended on the Kamarajar Salai off Marina beach, has been resumed, police said. Subways did not suffer waterlogging.
Between 6 am on Friday and 6 am today, a total of 30 domestic and international flights were cancelled as airport operations were affected due to the cyclone. The airport runway was briefly closed in the early hours today.
Cyclone Mandous
The cyclone has been named Mandous which has been given by United Arab Emirates (UAE). In Arabic, Mandous means ‘treasure box’. Notably, after Sitarang that had hit Bangladesh this October, it will be the second cyclone generated in Bay of Bengal in the post-monsoon season.
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(With inputs from PTI)
