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The day after cyclone Vardah: As it happened
Tamil Nadu CM O Panneerselvam wrote to PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday, seeking immediate release of Rs 1,000 crore from National Disaster Response Fund as cyclone relief.
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Tamil Nadu CM Panneerselvam writes to PM Modi requesting to depute a team to study extensive damages caused by cyclonic storm.
16 people lost their lives in cyclone Vardah. Families of deceased will be given 4 Lakh each from state disaster relief fund, says TN government.
Schools and colleges in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur district to remain closed for tomorrow, says Tamil Nadu government.
Extend sympathies to those affected by Cyclone Vardah, appreciate Govt's efforts in rescue operations. Hope everything will be fine: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh
Will extend possible assistance to Tamil Nadu. We'll discuss contribution that can be made to TN: Andhra Pradesh CM
Instructed Revenue, Police, State Disaster Response Force & other depts not to lower their guard against cyclone Vardah: Andhra Pradesh CM
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Rainfall at many places with isolated heavy falls over north Tamil Nadu and adjoining areas of south interior Karnataka is likely during next 12 hours, says NDMA
Cyclone Vardah's activity over north Tamil Nadu moved further west-southwestwards during past 6 hrs at speed of 20 kmph,weakened into depression: NDMA
Flight operations resume at Tirupati Airport after it was temporarily suspended due to Cyclone Vardah
WATCH: Trees uprooted, damage caused in several parts of Chennai after cyclone vardah made a landfall
Tamil Nadu: NDRF teams conduct relief and rescue operations in cyclone-hit areas
Chennai Airport now operational after the services were temporarily suspended on Monday in view of Cyclone Vardah
Govt and private schools, colleges and other educational institutions in Chennai, Kanchipuram and Tiruvallur to remain closed on Tuesday
Death toll rises to 10 in Tamil Nadu (4 in Chennai, 2 in Kancheepuram, 2 in Tiruvallur, 1 in Villupuram and 1 in Nagapattinam): NDMA
Karnataka: Bengaluru witnesses light showers after Cyclone Vardah made a landfall in Chennai on Tuesday
Tamil Nadu: NDRF teams conduct relief and rescue operations in cyclone hit areas
Karnataka: Bengaluru witnesses light showers after Cyclone Vardah made a landfall in Chennai on Tuesday
Situation being monitored closely by concerned authorities.Working to restore normalcy as fast as we can: RK Pachnanda, DG NDRF
Cyclone Vardah forms deep depression over north interior Tamil Nadu. To weaken as low pressure area in next 6 hours, says NDMA
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Nadu apprised the Home Minister of the damage caused by the cyclone and steps taken for the rescue and relief.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to take stock of the situation in the two states and promised all help.
Coastal regions of northern Tamil Nadu - Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram - continue to be on high alert even as people in low-lying areas were accommodated in relief centres.
Also, separate teams of personnel drawn from the health, sanitary and electricity departments were deployed for relief operations in low-lying areas of the three storm-hit Tamil Nadu districts.
About 8,000 people from low-lying areas in north Chennai, Pazhaverkadu in Tiruvallur district and villages off Mamallapuram, in Kanchipuram district were safely evacuated to 95 relief shelters, officials said.
In Andhra Pradesh, over 9,400 people living along the Bay of Bengal were evacuated to relief camps amid heavy rain.
Personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and SDRF were deployed for rescue efforts as army was put on standby.
Civic workers used hand-held battery-operated wood cutters to remove hundreds of uprooted trees lying on the roads.
"After 1994, this is the first very severe cyclonic storm to hit Chennai coast. The storm has completely crossed the coast as expected (this evening)," a senior Met Official said.
Most commercial establishments downed shutters in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts.
Public transport came to a standstill in Chennai with buses and suburban trains suspended and airport shut. Rail, road and air traffic.
Two fishermen were reported missing off the Andhra Pradesh coast in Kakinada and the Coast Guard has deployed ship for search and rescue operations.
Though no major loss of life or property has been reported from Andhra Pradesh so far, heavy rains lashed Chittoor and SPS Nellore district, affecting normal life.
Thousands of people were evacuated as roaring wind clocking speed of 100 km an hour uprooted trees, tore off hoardings and toppled cars.
Cyclone Vardah flattened homes, snapped power, communication lines and threw into disarry rail, road and air traffic as it crossed the coast in Tamil Nadu. It pounded Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kanchipuram with heavy rain and squall.
Chennai: Eighteen people were killed in six districts of Tamil Nadu in rain-related incidents linked to Cyclone Vardah that crossed the coast, as Chief Minister O Panneerselvam held a meeting of top officials on Tuesday to speed up work to ensure return of normalcy in storm-hit regions.
The government said it is taking all steps to ensure that the jammed mobile phone networks are restored and a meeting of telecom operators and officials was held.
"A total of 18 persons were killed in rain-related incidents linked to Cyclone Vardah," a top Tamil Nadu government official monitoring the situation told PTI.
He said five each were killed in Chennai and Tiruvallur districts. Four persons died in Kancheepuram district, one each in Villupuram and Nagapattinam districts and two in Tiruvannamali district, the officials added.
All these deaths were in the revenue districts.