Cyclone Michaung Highlights: Five killed in Chennai amid heavy rain; airport disrupted

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that his government was taking all necessary measures on a war-footing to provide relief measures. 

Relief measures in rain-affected regions are being implemented immediately, with various department personnel, including police, fire, and rescue, being deployed in large numbers as a preventive mechanism, he stated. 

"The government is taking all precautionary measures on a war-footing in response to heavy rainfall over the last two days due to Cyclone Michaung causing devastation in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, and Chengalpattu districts," Stalin mentioned in an official release. 

Observing that educational institutions, banks, and financial institutions have been granted holidays for Monday and Tuesday, he added, "Relief measures are being undertaken in the affected districts, with senior ministers, along with government officials, directly monitoring the situation."

The Railway Ministry has set up an emergency control cell in Chennai and a war room at the Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. These steps have been taken to tackle challenges posed by Michaung.  

"The Indian Railways has geared up its entire machinery in a big way to ensure and manage smooth and safe railway operations in the areas likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm ‘Michaung'," a statement issued by the Railway Ministry said on Monday. 

"The Indian Railways as part of its preparedness for cyclone-related disaster management has set up an emergency control cell at the divisional/HQ level with officers from Operating, Commercial, Engineering, Electrical, Signal/Telecommunications, Security, etc. Branches in each shift to monitor round the clock and take necessary action in connection with train operations," it added. 

The ministry has also activated a war room at board level to monitor all locations round the clock and nominated safety counsellors in each shift to assist with the emergency control.

The Odisha government has deployed rescue teams in the southern districts of the state as a precautionary measure. The cyclone is "likely to intensify gradually and move nearly northwards almost parallel and close to the southern Andhra Pradesh coast and cross it between Nellore and Machilipatnam, close to Bapatla, during the forenoon of December 5 as a severe cyclonic storm with a maximum sustained wind speed of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph," the IMD said. 

Though there will be no major impact on Odisha, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the eastern state will receive light to moderate rainfall on Monday night and the intensity will further increase and heavy rain is expected on Tuesday.

As Cyclone Michaung approached the north coast of Tamil Nadu, several areas in Chennai experienced severe waterlogging. People have been sharing videos of the flooded roads and submerged cars on social media platforms. Authorities in Tamil Nadu have also declared the closure of schools, colleges, and government offices. 

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Parts of Jharkhand are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall till December 7, a weather official said on Monday. Ranchi Meteorological Centre has predicted light rain in a few pockets on Tuesday and light to moderate showers on December 6 and 7. 

Abhishek Anand, in-charge of Ranchi Meteorological Centre, said: "Partial impact of the cyclone would be witnessed in Jharkhand. There will be cloudy weather with light rainfall in southern and central parts of the state on December 5, while light to moderate rainfall may be experienced in many areas on December 6 and 7." 

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn and Pegatron on Monday (Dec 4) halted production of Apple iPhones at their facilities near the south Indian city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, owing to the incessant rains in the region brought by Cyclone Michuang, according to a Reuters report.  

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The Tamil Nadu government has declared a public holiday in Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts on Tuesday, December 5, 2023. The public holiday has been declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

All schools, colleges, educational institutions, and government offices, including the offices of public undertakings/corporations, boards, banks, and financial institutions in the four districts of Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram and Chengalpattu will be closed due to the harsh weather conditions in the state.

Heavy rains have disrupted normal life in the northern part of Tamil Nadu as various parts of the state have been inundated, raising fears of a repeat of the 2015 deluge. 

In Tamil Nadu, the airport in the state capital Chennai was expected to be closed until late Monday. 

Heavy rains lashed parts of Andhra Pradesh today under the influence of cyclonic storm 'Michaung' as the state government issued an alert to the eight districts as it nears the southern coastal region before landfall. 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on the cyclone with senior officials on Monday and set several relief efforts in motion.