Cyclone Michaung has weakened into low-pressure area in J'Khand: IMD official

RANCHI: The cyclonic circulation Michaung that ravaged the states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in the last few days has now weakened and converted into a low-pressure area in Jharkhand, a weather official said.

"The cyclonic circulation Michaung has weakened and converted into a low-pressure area in Jharkhand causing light to moderate rainfall across the state in short spells. The situation will remain prevalent till today. The weather will remain cloudy tomorrow onwards," AE Kujur, a meteorologist from India Meteorological Department (IMD) Ranchi said.

Earlier on Wednesday, IMD Director General Mrityunjay Mohapatra said that the cyclonic storm Michaung has weakened and won't have any disastrous impact.

Speaking to ANI, DG IMD Mrityunjay Mohapatra said, "Yesterday, after its (Cyclonic Storm Michaung) landfall after 2 pm in the afternoon, it started getting weak slowly and yesterday at midnight, it went further into a deep depression. Today morning depression further weakened and today in the afternoon it further into a well-marked low-pressure area. Currently, it is centred over Northeast Telangana and adjoining south Chhattisgarh-south Interior Odisha-Coastal Andhra Pradesh".

Meanwhile, several areas in Chennai continued to reel under severe waterlogging conditions on Thursday caused due to heavy rainfall in the region following Cyclone Michaung's landfall two days ago.

Various parts of the city including a petrol pump at Pallikaranai area, Jerusalem College of Engineering remained inundated after heavy rainfall.

The waterfalls at the Kodaikanal Hills in Dindigul district also swelled and overflowing due to heavy rainfall in the region.

As weather conditions improved, the Electric multiple unit (EMU) train service, after the normal pattern of services resumed, departed from Chennai Central (MMC) station for Tiruttani on Thursday morning.

Transportation services were halted in the southern state due to Cyclone Michaung. Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government announced a holiday for all schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu on Thursday due to severe flooding in several parts of these districts in the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung.

Schools and colleges in six taluks -- Pallavaram, Tambaram, Vandalur, Thiruporur, Chengalpattu, and Thirukazhukundram -- will remain closed on Thursday.

During their operations, IAF dropped a total of 2,300 kg of relief material in the flood-affected areas in Chennai.

The IAF was working in liaison with the Tamil Nadu government while the relief materials were being provided by various agencies in the State.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Tamil Nadu and held a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday.

The Central government has also released in advance its share of the second instalment of State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) of Rs 493.60 crore to Andhra Pradesh and Rs 450 crore to Tamil Nadu as both states are affected by the cyclonic storm.