Cyclone Michuang: Vandalur zoo flooded, zoo animals kept safe
"Despite several zoo staffs not being able to reach the zoo, the feeding of the animals and ensuring the safety of the enclosures was ensured by utilizing the available staff in the zoo. No animal was harmed and all the enclosures are intact," the release said.
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CHENNAI: As Cyclone Michuang is ravaging the city, animal enclosures and some portion of Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur are flooded and a lake inside the zoo is overflowing.
However, no zoo animal is harmed. In a release, the zoo management said Michuang cyclone has caused some damages to the zoo property and the accompanying winds has caused flooding to some portions of zoo, and also resulted in around 30 number of trees being felled.
"Despite several zoo staffs not being able to reach the zoo, the feeding of the animals and ensuring the safety of the enclosures was ensured by utilizing the available staff in the zoo. No animal was harmed and all the enclosures are intact," the release said.
However, the compound walls on either side of the Vandalur - Kelambakkam Road was damaged to a length of 50m in four locations, which caused localized flooding along these stretches of the road.
Otteri lake which is inside the zoo is also overflowing and has caused the damage of compound wall to length of 30m, which led to flooding of low lying areas in the downstream.
Water levels inside the zoo are continuously being monitored, and excess water is being drained out of the enclosure with the help of motor pumps.
The drainage system of the zoo is being cleared of the debris, to ensure the proper drainage of rainwater in the channel.
All steps are being taken to clear the debris and remove the wind fallen trees by the zoo management," the release added.